Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989
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| Long title | An Act to implement the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and Their Destruction, by prohibiting certain conduct relating to biological weapons, and for other purposes. |
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| Acronyms (colloquial) | BWATA |
| Enacted by | the 101st United States Congress |
| Effective | May 22, 1990 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | 101-298 |
| Statutes at Large | 104 Stat. 201 |
| Codification | |
| Titles amended | 18 U.S.C.: Crimes and Criminal Procedure |
| U.S.C. sections amended | 18 U.S.C. ch. 10 § 175 et seq. |
| Legislative history | |
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The Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 (BWATA, Pub.L. 101–298, enacted May 22, 1990) was a piece of U.S. legislation that was passed into law in 1990. It provided for the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention as well as criminal penalties for violation of its provisions. The law was amended in 1996 and has been used to prosecute several individuals.
The Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 (BWATA) was drafted by University of Illinois international law professor Francis A. Boyle. The law, known as it went through the U.S. Senate during the 101st U.S. Congress as S. 993, was introduced to the Senate on May 16, 1989. The bill was sponsored by U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and collected 15 co-sponsors on its way through the Senate. An amended version of the bill passed the Senate in November 1989.
The U.S. House of Representatives version of the bill, carrying the same title, was introduced to the House on January 3, 1989. The sponsor of BWATA in the House was Representative Robert W. Kastenmeier (D-WI) and the legislation picked up 52 co-sponsors as it went through the House. The House of Representatives passed BWATA on May 8, 1990. BWATA was signed into law by then-U.S. President George H.W. Bush on May 22, 1990.
BWATA has been expanded two separate times through the implementation of new laws. The first expansion closed certain loopholes that critics complained made prosecution difficult. The Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 amended the law to address these issues. (See "prosecution difficulties" below). BWATA was additionally expanded by the USA Patriot Act in 2001.
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