In 1998, nations of the world came together to establish a body for holding international criminals accountable for four major crimes: Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Crimes of Aggression. President Bill Clinton signed the Rome Statute, but never submitted the treaty for Senate Ratification as required under the Constitution. President George W. Bush later rescinded the United States’ signature. We call on this nation to ratify this treaty at once, as a deterrent against future commission of heinous acts and for persons accused of committing these acts to stand trial and face justice. Without the ratification of the Rome Statute and joining the International Criminal Court, many of the United States’ most heinous crimes will never be brought to justice.

The United States must be held to a higher international standard if we are to end the human rights abuses this country commits, both in war and in peacetime.