§37 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

It makes it a federal crime for someone who deliberately uses tools, chemicals, or weapons to do one of two things at an airport that serves international flights: either hurt or likely seriously hurt a person or kill them (see section 1365 for "serious bodily injury"), or destroy or badly damage airport facilities or a civil airplane not in service there, or disrupt airport operations. Federal charges can be brought if the act happened in the United States; or if it happened abroad and the offender is later found in the United States; or if the offender or a victim is a U.S. national (see 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)). Federal prosecution does not apply to acts inside the U.S. that occurred during or about a labor dispute if that conduct is a felony under the state law. "Labor dispute" is defined in 29 U.S.C. 113(c), and "State" includes states, D.C., and U.S. territories and possessions.

Title 18, §37

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A person who unlawfully and intentionally, using any device, substance, or weapon—

(1)performs an act of violence against a person at an airport serving international civil aviation that causes or is likely to cause serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365 of this title) or death; or

(2)destroys or seriously damages the facilities of an airport serving international civil aviation or a civil aircraft not in service located thereon or disrupts the services of the airport,

(b)There is jurisdiction over the prohibited activity in subsection (a) if—

(1)the prohibited activity takes place in the United States; or

(2)the prohibited activity takes place outside the United States and (A) the offender is later found in the United States; or (B) an offender or a victim is a national of the United States (as defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22))).

(c)It is a bar to Federal prosecution under subsection (a) for conduct that occurred within the United States that the conduct involved was during or in relation to a labor dispute, and such conduct is prohibited as a felony under the law of the State in which it was committed. For purposes of this section, the term “labor dispute” has the meaning set forth in section 2(c) 11 So in original. Probably should be section “13(c)”. of the Norris-LaGuardia Act, as amended (29 U.S.C. 113(c)), and the term “State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 104–132, § 723(a)(1), inserted “or conspires” after “attempts” in concluding provisions. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 104–132, § 721(g), inserted subpar. (A) designation and added subpar. (B). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–294 inserted heading and inserted “, and the term ‘State’ means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States” before period at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60021(c), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1980, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on the later of— “(1) the date of enactment of this Act [Sept. 13, 1994]; or “(2) the date on which the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation, done at Montreal on 23 September 1971, has come into force and the United States has become a party to the Protocol.” [Protocol came into force and United States became a party to the Protocol Nov. 18, 1994, Treaty Doc. 100–19.]

§37 Violence at international airports