The bill making genocide a crime in the United States is now on President Reagan’s desk awaiting his signature to make it law.
The nearly 40-year struggle over the bill, which makes genocide a crime under the U.S. Criminal Code, ended Wednesday when the House approved the bill by a voice vote.
The bill was adopted by the Senate last Friday night.
The House had first approved the bill last April, but had to vote a second time because of some “technical” changes made in the Senate version.
One change was to name the bill the Proxmire Act after Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.), who is retiring from the Senate this year.
Proxmire was the leading advocate for Senate ratification of the U.N. convention outlawing genocide and the current legislation implementing the treaty.
Once the president signs the bill it will be sent to the United Nations, where the United States will become the 100th nation to have ratified the treaty.
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