Criminal Justice

This bill creates a new National Fraud Enforcement Division within the Department of Justice to lead efforts against fraud targeting the federal government, federally funded programs, and American citizens. The division will be headed by an Assistant Attorney General appointed by the President and Senate, who will oversee complex investigations, guide local prosecutors, and coordinate with other federal agencies to stop organized fraud schemes. Additionally, the leader of this new unit will set national enforcement priorities and suggest legal or regulatory changes to fix systemic weaknesses that allow fraud to occur.

The PROOF Act requires state agencies to provide specific records to the Attorney General when requested for investigating fraud in major federal assistance programs, such as Medicaid, food stamps, unemployment benefits, and disaster relief funds. This information sharing covers data like identity verification records, payment logs, and provider billing statements directly related to active investigations. To protect privacy, the bill mandates that the Justice Department handle all transferred data under existing privacy laws, use encryption for security, and destroy the information once legal proceedings are complete. Additionally, federal agencies may only use this data for fraud-related law enforcement purposes and must submit an annual report to Congress detailing the number of requests made and resulting convictions.

HR 1041, the Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act, prevents the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from automatically sending veterans' personal information to the national background check system (NICS) solely because a court has appointed a fiduciary (like a guardian) to manage their benefits. This directly affects veterans who have a fiduciary appointed due to mental health or cognitive challenges but are not deemed a danger to themselves or others. The bill requires a court order finding the veteran poses a danger before any such information can be shared with the NICS. It changes VA procedures to block unnecessary barriers to firearm ownership for veterans who qualify for fiduciary support without a judicial determination of danger.

HR 5625, the Cashless Bail Reporting Act, requires the Attorney General to publish and regularly update a public list of all states and local governments that allow cashless bail (release without requiring money bonds). This list must be available within 30 days of the bill's enactment and updated quarterly. The bill does not change existing bail laws but increases transparency by making it easier for the public to see where cashless bail is used. It directly affects individuals seeking information about bail practices in different jurisdictions. The key mechanism is a mandatory, publicly accessible database maintained by the federal government.

This resolution provides for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 5625) to direct the Attorney General to make publicly available a list of each State and unit of local government that permits cashless bail, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 6260) to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit fraud in connection with posting bail; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8365) to provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 96) expressing support for law enforcement officers; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8469) making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes.

This bill would amend federal law to strengthen penalties for organized retail crime by expanding definitions of theft to include digital goods, gift cards, and setting a $5,000 aggregate value threshold for charges over a 12-month period. It would establish a new "Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center" under Homeland Security to coordinate Federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement efforts against cross-jurisdictional theft groups. The Center would share information with retailers, transportation companies, and law enforcement agencies, track crime trends, and produce annual reports on organized retail crime. This legislation directly affects retailers, supply chain businesses, and law enforcement agencies, while targeting organized crime groups responsible for a 93% increase in larceny incidents and rising safety concerns for retail employees. The bill aims to address significant financial losses and supply chain disruptions noted in the National Retail Federation's 2023 data.

This bill amends Washington, D.C.'s policing law to change rules for police vehicle pursuits. It removes previous restrictions on pursuits and requires officers to only pursue a suspect if they reasonably believe it won't create unacceptable risk to others or be futile, or if another method would be more effective. The bill also mandates a Department of Justice report within three years evaluating technology like PursuitAlert that alerts the public during police pursuits. These changes directly affect D.C. police officers making real-time decisions during vehicle chases. The law updates existing policy without altering other policing standards.

Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This act permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Under the act, offenses involving fentanyl-related substances are triggered by the same quantity thresholds and subject to the same penalties as offenses involving fentanyl analogues (e.g., offenses involving 100 grams or more trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term). Additionally, the act establishes a new, alternative registration process for certain schedule I research. The act also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration. Finally, the act expresses the sense that Congress agrees with the interpretation of the Controlled Substances Act in United States v. McCray , a 2018 case decided by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. In that case, the court held that butyryl fentanyl, a controlled substance, can be considered an analogue of fentanyl even though, under the Controlled Substances Act, the term controlled substance analogue specifically excludes a controlled substance.

HRES 405 is a procedural resolution that sets the rules for the House to debate and vote on three related bills. It waives objections and limits debate to one hour for H.R. 2240 (requiring reports on attacks against law enforcement), H.R. 2243 (amending officer safety laws and concealed carry rules), and H.R. 2255 (allowing federal officers to purchase retired service weapons). This resolution does not change the bills' content but streamlines their consideration process.

HR 35, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, creates a new federal crime for operating a motor vehicle while intentionally fleeing U.S. Border Patrol agents or assisting law enforcement officers within 100 miles of the U.S. border. It imposes penalties of up to 2 years in prison for the basic offense, 5-20 years if serious injury occurs, and 10 years to life if death results. The bill also makes individuals convicted of this crime inadmissible to the U.S., deportable, and ineligible for immigration relief like asylum. Additionally, it requires annual reports from the Attorney General and Homeland Security Secretary detailing arrests, charges, and penalties related to this offense.