The International Criminal Court may face sanctions if a bill is passed by the House.

The new Congress is expected to pass legislation sanctioning the International Criminal Court on Thursday in response to its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The bill will be swiftly voted on by the Senate, with Republican Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., promising to have it on President-elect Donald Trump's desk before he takes office.

Despite opposition from President Joe Biden, 42 Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the bill in June.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is known for his libertarian views, questioned the priority of the Israel-related legislation during the first week of the new congressional term.

"The US is an independent nation, so I don't trust the decisions of the International Criminal Court. However, how did a bill to protect Netanyahu pass the House rules package and be voted on immediately after the Speaker vote? What are our priorities?" he wrote on X, previously Twitter, last week.

The legislation was reintroduced by Texas Reps. Chip Roy and Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, both Republicans.

On May 20, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif, who were all killed in the past year.

Netanyahu fired Gallant shortly after the U.S. presidential election.

For the first time, the criminal court sought arrests of Western-allied officials, as seen in Khan's application.

In November, the judges on the ICC panel found that Netanyahu and Gallant committed the war crime of using starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, as a direct perpetrator, acting jointly with others. The Chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that they are each responsible for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against civilians as a superior.

Roy stated that the ICC is an unlawful organization with no right to meddle in our sovereignty or that of our allies.

Mast stated that the ICC's efforts to hinder Israel's ability to defend itself have prolonged the conflict and hindered the release of American hostages by increasing Hamas' confidence.

Since the bloody attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has launched a brutal campaign to eliminate Hamas in Gaza. Trump has urged both sides to resolve the conflict and for Hamas to release the hostages before he takes office on Jan. 20.

The Act would penalize any foreigner who attempts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute U.S. citizens or those of an allied country.

The NATO security alliance and 19 major non-NATO countries, including Israel, are covered by the 32-member alliance.

The U.S. would withdraw any funds designated for the ICC and prevent any future funds from being allocated to the court.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has introduced companion legislation in the Senate. Although the legislation passed the House last Congress, it was not taken up for a vote in the upper chamber by then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. With Republicans now in charge, Thune aims to pass the legislation and get it to the president's desk before his inauguration.