Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989 - History

History

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.