SAFEGUARD Act of 2023

The SAFEGUARD Act of 2023 prohibits U.S. arms sales to countries committing genocide or war crimes, requiring the Secretary of State to certify that such nations have taken steps toward accountability and victim compensation before allowing exports. It mandates that all arms export agreements include commitments from recipient governments to not misuse U.S. weapons for human rights violations, with the U.S. retaining the right to demand return of weapons if misuse occurs. The bill also requires the State Department to consider human rights protections and democratic practices when reviewing arms sales, and enhances congressional oversight for sales to countries with credible reports of military coup attempts or security force abuses. This directly affects U.S. arms export decisions to foreign governments and international organizations, adding human rights safeguards to the existing export control framework.