Walter Patterson Justice and Extradition Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9202 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9202 To direct the President to submit to Congress a report on fugitives currently residing in other countries whose extradition is sought by the United States and related matters, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 8, 2026 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the President to submit to Congress a report on fugitives currently residing in other countries whose extradition is sought by the United States and related matters, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Walter Patterson Justice and Extradition Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) Extradition is the formal surrender of a person by one state to another state for prosecution or punishment. (2) Refusal by other nations to extradite or otherwise render to the United States fugitives within their jurisdiction who have been convicted of committing crimes on United States soil impedes the judicial process and undermines the rule of law. (3) The United States has bilateral extradition treaties with more than 100 nations and an extradition agreement with the European Union, including Portugal. (4) The failure to bring criminal fugitives to justice in the United States is an affront to the victims of those crimes. (5) The refusal of Portugal, a close ally and good friend of the United States, to extradite George Wright, convicted of the 1962 murder of Walter Patterson, fugitive fro