The Walter Patterson Justice and Extradition Act directs the President to submit comprehensive reports to Congress about fugitives currently hiding in foreign countries for whom the United States is seeking extradition. The bill requires these reports within 270 days of enactment and annually thereafter, detailing the number of fugitives by country, diplomatic efforts undertaken to secure their return, average case duration, resolution rates, and barriers to extradition. The legislation was prompted specifically by the case of George Wright, a convicted murderer who escaped from a New Jersey prison in 1970 and is believed to be residing in Portugal, and the bill includes a sense of Congress that U.S. ambassadors should prioritize advocating for extradition cases in meetings with foreign officials. The reports must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and Judiciary in unclassified form, though classified annexes are permitted if necessary. This legislation affects the State Department and other agencies responsible for pursuing extradition cases, with no specific funding authorization mentioned.
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