HR7281-119

What This Bill Does

The Justice for Shireen Act requires the FBI Director and Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence, and Secretary of Defense, to submit a report to Congress within 30 days on the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The report must identify individuals and entities that carried out, participated in, were complicit in, or were responsible for her death. It must also identify any U.S. defense materials, funds, or services implicated in the death and attach any relevant unredacted reports, including any report by the U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The report must be unclassified and publicly posted on the State Department website at the same time it is submitted to Congress.

Who Benefits and How

Shireen Abu Akleh's family, press-freedom advocates, and human-rights organizations benefit from a public, unclassified U.S. government accounting of who was responsible and whether U.S. assistance or defense materials were involved. Congress benefits from a deadline and required attachments instead of relying on fragmented agency disclosures. Journalists working in conflict areas benefit if the report creates accountability for attacks on press workers. The public benefits because the State Department must publish the report, not just send it to lawmakers.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The FBI, State Department, Justice Department, intelligence community, and Defense Department must coordinate quickly, declassify or prepare an unclassified version, identify responsible parties, assess U.S. defense links, and attach unredacted relevant reports. The U.S. Security Coordinator's work may have to be disclosed in fuller form. Individuals or entities named as responsible or complicit face reputational, diplomatic, legal, or policy consequences. State Department staff must publish the report on the public website within the same 30-day window.

Key Provisions

• Requires a public unclassified report to Congress within 30 days on Shireen Abu Akleh's death.
• Directs the report to identify individuals and entities responsible, complicit, or otherwise involved in the death.
• Requires identification of any U.S. defense materials, funds, or services implicated in the death.
• Requires relevant unredacted attachments, including any U.S. Security Coordinator report, and public posting on the State Department website.