Criminal Justice

in committee · United States · House Jun 23, 2025

HR 4066: Countering White Supremacist Extremism Act

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop a threat assessment and reference aid focused on foreign white supremacist extremist organizations that use violence to promote white racial superiority. The assessment will be shared with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies (including fusion centers) and, upon request, with online platforms to help identify violating content. It defines such organizations as foreign-based groups using unlawful force to advance white supremacy and mandates that the assessment include symbols they use. DHS must ensure the tool does not include names of individuals engaging in lawful political speech protected by the Constitution.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeTargets white supremacist groups violating civil rights; provides law enforcement tool to counter hate crimes and protect civil rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 12, 2025

SCONRES 14: A concurrent resolution urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation.

SCONRES 14 is a symbolic congressional resolution urging the executive branch to establish a U.S. Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation. It does not create the commission itself but calls for its formation to examine historical racial injustices affecting people of color, including slavery, discriminatory housing policies, and systemic inequities in healthcare, education, and voting rights. The commission would aim to address the root causes of racial division and promote efforts to eliminate persistent racial inequities. This resolution is procedural and does not impose binding requirements on the government.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAddresses systemic racial inequities in voting, healthcare, and education - key areas intersecting with criminal justice reform - aligning with civil rights protections and systemic change goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

Track

passed · United States · Senate Dec 16, 2025

S 1510: Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act

S 1510, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act, requires federal, state, and local governments to make civil rights cold case records publicly available by default, with a presumption of immediate disclosure. The bill mandates that state and local governments holding such records can be reimbursed for costs related to digitizing, copying, or mailing these records to the federal Collection. It also removes exceptions for state/local government records and specifies that records created before January 1, 1990, must still be disclosed (unlike newer records). This bill directly affects state/local governments managing these historical records and the public seeking access to civil rights history.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates federal reimbursement for state costs in digitizing civil rights records, directly funding state budget expenses related to record handling.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates public disclosure of civil rights cold case records, promoting transparency and accountability in historical criminal justice cases.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

Track

passed · United States · Senate Jun 11, 2025

S 1136: DETERRENCE Act

S 1136, the DETERRENCE Act, adds sentencing enhancements for certain federal crimes when committed "knowingly at the direction of or in coordination with a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government." It applies to existing offenses including kidnapping (up to 10 additional years), murder-for-hire (up to 10 years), stalking (up to 10 years for serious cases), attacks on federal officials (up to 10 years), and threats against presidential staff (up to 10 years). The bill does not create new crimes but increases penalties for specific violations where foreign government coordination is proven. It directly affects individuals convicted under these provisions who are found to have acted with foreign government involvement.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds 10-year sentencing enhancements for specific federal crimes involving foreign coordination, increasing mandatory penalties per bill text.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Sentencing

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 3, 2025

S 1931: A bill to provide additional funding to States that provide certain rights to sexual assault survivors, and for other purposes.

This bill (S 1931) provides federal funding to states that meet specific standards for protecting sexual assault survivors' rights. States qualify for one of three funding tiers based on whether they have laws, regulations, or policies that provide rights matching federal standards under Section 3772 of Title 18 (e.g., right to be informed of case status, right to a safe environment during medical exams). The funding allocates 60% to states meeting the strictest standard, 25% to those meeting a moderate standard, and 15% to those meeting a less comprehensive standard. Additionally, the bill extends the minimum retention period for sexual assault evidence kits from "20 years or statute of limitations" to "at least 20 years" to preserve evidence for potential future investigations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill funds states meeting victim rights standards for sexual assault survivors, advancing victim protections in criminal justice system.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates states provide medical exam rights for sexual assault survivors, directly protecting patient access to healthcare services and aligning with healthcare patient rights standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Victims' Rights Violent Crime

Track

signed · United States · House Nov 19, 2025

HR 4405: Epstein Files Transparency Act

HR 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, requires the U.S. Attorney General to publicly release all unclassified Department of Justice documents related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days of the law’s enactment. This includes investigations, flight logs, immunity deals, internal communications, and records about Epstein’s detention or death, while prohibiting redactions for "embarrassment" or political sensitivity. The law allows limited redactions only for victim privacy, child sexual abuse materials, active investigations, or national security (with justification), and mandates an unclassified summary for withheld classified information. The Attorney General must submit a detailed report to Congress within 15 days of release, listing all redactions and naming any government officials referenced in the materials.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires public release of DOJ documents related to Epstein case, enhancing transparency and accountability in criminal investigations and oversight.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 3, 2025

S 361: Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking Act

S 361 amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to adjust how federal grants assist human trafficking victims. It increases the maximum allowable administrative costs for grantees from 3% to up to 7% and from 5% to up to 10%, while requiring at least 95% of grant funds to go directly to victim services. The bill also adds "strengthening program administration and budgeting" as a permitted use of funds. These changes directly affect organizations receiving federal grants under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, providing greater flexibility for operational costs while ensuring most funding supports victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends trafficking grants to increase victim service funding efficiency (95% direct services), strengthening victim support within criminal justice reform framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Victims' Rights

Track

in committee · United States · House Nov 20, 2025

HR 6208: No Surrogacy for Sex Offenders Act

HR 6208, the "No Surrogacy for Sex Offenders Act," makes it a federal crime for registered sex offenders to use interstate communication or services to enter surrogacy agreements where they intend to claim parental rights over a child. The bill specifically targets two scenarios: (1) sex offenders using interstate means for surrogacy with parental intent, and (2) individuals committing sex offenses during the surrogacy process (from initiation to birth). Penalties include fines or up to 18 years in prison. This law directly affects registered sex offenders and surrogacy arrangements involving them, aiming to prevent exploitation by prohibiting their participation in such agreements under federal criminal law.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by penalizing sex offenders in surrogacy agreements, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of increased criminalization.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

Track

passed · United States · House Jan 13, 2026

HR 6715: Child Predators Accountability Act

This bill amends U.S. Code sections 2251(a), 2260(a), and 2256 to clarify and strengthen laws against child sexual exploitation. It explicitly adds "or be depicted engaging in" to definitions of sexual exploitation and sexually explicit depictions involving minors, making it a crime to distribute material showing minors in such conduct - even if the minor did not physically participate. The law directly affects prosecutors, defendants accused of distributing child sexual abuse material, and minors depicted in such images. The key change ensures that intentionally including minors in sexually explicit visual depictions (via photos or videos) is prosecutable under existing federal law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStrengthens child exploitation laws by clarifying definitions and expanding criminal liability, directly advancing enforcement against predators within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

Track

in committee · United States · House Jun 12, 2025

HR 3968: School Violence Prevention Act

HR 3968, the School Violence Prevention Act, creates a federal grant program to fund school-based violence prevention programs in communities with severe gun violence. It authorizes $25 million annually (2025-2031) for grants to partnerships between state/local education agencies and community nonprofits in areas experiencing high homicide rates (e.g., 35+ homicides annually) or double the national violent crime arrest rate for youth. Grants must support evidence-based programs for K-12 students - including trauma-informed counseling, conflict resolution skills, mental health access, and community engagement - while requiring annual data collection on outcomes like graduation rates. All programs must be evaluated by grantees and independent researchers, with reports shared publicly and submitted to Congress every three years.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds evidence-based school violence prevention programs in high-crime areas, aiming to reduce youth involvement in the criminal justice system through proactive community partnerships.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds K-12 violence prevention programs via $25M annual grants, directly supporting school safety and student access in high-risk areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Violent Crime K-12 Education School Safety Student Health

Track