Criminal Justice

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 26, 2025

S 2198: Military in Law Enforcement Accountability Act

This bill requires the President to submit written justification to Congress before the military can assist civilian law enforcement during six specific emergencies: humanitarian crises, natural disasters, public health emergencies, critical infrastructure attacks, nuclear/military attacks, or major terrorist incidents. It limits military support to 14 days without congressional approval via a special joint resolution, which must include a description of the emergency's impact. The bill also prohibits military personnel from holding civilian law enforcement positions simultaneously (with limited reserve component exceptions) and removes references to "civil disturbances" from military support guidelines. These changes aim to establish clearer congressional oversight for military involvement in domestic law enforcement operations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates congressional oversight for military law enforcement assistance, enhancing accountability during emergencies, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of strengthening oversight.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · United States · Senate May 8, 2025

S 1675: Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act

S 1675 would amend federal death penalty law to add a new aggravating factor for capital sentencing. Specifically, it would allow the death penalty to be considered if a defendant is an alien who entered or remained in the U.S. illegally and was convicted of killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a U.S. citizen. This provision directly affects defendants in federal murder cases who meet both criteria: violating immigration laws and committing violent crimes against citizens. The bill changes sentencing guidelines by expanding the circumstances under which the death penalty could be applied.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands death penalty eligibility for illegal aliens convicted of murder, increasing punitive measures rather than promoting reform or protections.95% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationAdds death penalty consideration for illegal aliens convicted of killing U.S. citizens, restricting immigrant protections in criminal sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing Enforcement

Track

in committee · United States · House Nov 18, 2025

HR 6103: LAB Personnel Act of 2025

HR 6103, the LAB Personnel Act of 2025, protects the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) forensic laboratory workforce from reductions due to budget cuts or funding shifts. It specifically exempts forensic chemists, fingerprint specialists, digital forensic examiners, and other roles relocating to new DEA forensic labs from hiring freezes or workforce cuts. The bill does not affect the Attorney General's authority to address misconduct or poor performance under existing procedures. This law directly affects DEA forensic lab personnel by guaranteeing their positions remain secure during budget adjustments.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProtects DEA forensic lab funding from budget cuts, ensuring no workforce reductions due to fiscal shifts90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill protects DEA forensic lab workforce from budget cuts, ensuring continued capacity for law enforcement investigations and court evidence processing, directly supporting criminal justice infrastructure.95% confidence

Track

passed · United States · Senate May 4, 2026

S 1199: SBA Fraud Enforcement Extension Act

This bill extends the statute of limitations for fraud enforcement related to two specific Small Business Administration (SBA) grant programs. It adds a 10-year time limit for criminal prosecutions or civil enforcement actions targeting violations of federal fraud, identity theft, or false claims laws (e.g., 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1028A, 1344, 1956) involving grants for shuttered venue operators (under the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act) and restaurant revitalization (under the American Rescue Plan Act). The bill directly affects recipients of these SBA grants by setting a clear 10-year window for legal action against alleged fraud. It does not change the grant programs themselves, only the timeframe for enforcing fraud-related penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends statute of limitations for criminal fraud prosecutions (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1344), strengthening enforcement of criminal justice through longer prosecution windows.90% confidence

Tags Small Business

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 26, 2025

S 2192: Clean Hands Firearm Procurement Act

This bill prohibits federal agencies from entering contracts with firearm dealers who have been linked to crime through gun tracing. Specifically, dealers with 25 or more firearms traced to crimes within 2 of the last 3 years (as tracked by the ATF) are listed annually and barred from federal contracts for three years. Federal agencies must avoid such contracts, though the Defense or Homeland Security secretaries may request limited national security waivers, which require immediate congressional notification. The law aims to restrict federal spending with dealers frequently involved in crime-linked firearms, without altering gun ownership laws.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts federal contracts with firearm dealers linked to crime, aiming to reduce gun violence and improve public safety - key criminal justice goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 25, 2025

S 1101: SHARE Act of 2025

The SHARE Act of 2025 updates federal rules for sharing criminal background check data used in professional licensing. It requires the FBI to provide criminal history record information to state licensing authorities for background checks when states are part of an interstate compact. States must use this data solely for licensing decisions and cannot share the full records with other states, commissions, or the public. Instead, they may only share a binary result (e.g., "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory") regarding the background check. This directly affects state licensing boards and professionals seeking licenses across participating states.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts full criminal record sharing for licensing, promoting fair employment access and reducing reentry barriers - aligns with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRestricts sharing of full criminal records, requiring only binary results to protect data privacy in background checks.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Tags Licensing

Track

in committee · United States · House Feb 11, 2026

HR 7490: Tribal Warrant Fairness Act

The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act updates federal law to ensure Indian tribes have equal standing with local and state governments in specific law enforcement contexts. It amends the U.S. Marshals Service statute to explicitly include "Tribal fugitive matters" when requested by an Indian Tribe, and revises the Presidential Threat Protection Act to add "Indian Tribes" and "Tribal law" to relevant provisions. These changes directly affect tribal governments by requiring federal agencies to recognize tribal requests and jurisdiction in warrant-related matters and threat protection. The bill makes no new policy but clarifies existing federal procedures to include tribal authorities on par with local and state entities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnsures tribal governments equal standing in law enforcement, aligning with tribal sovereignty and improving federal-tribal coordination in criminal justice contexts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Tags Tribal Nations

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 9, 2026

S 2544: GUARD Act

The GUARD Act allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to use existing federal grant funds to investigate elder financial fraud (targeting elderly or disabled individuals), "pig butchering" scams (where victims are tricked into investing in fake crypto schemes), and general financial fraud. It requires agencies to hire specialized staff, use technology tools for tracking scams, and report annually on how funds were used and their impact on fraud statistics. The bill also mandates two key federal reports: one to Congress on scam trends and enforcement actions, and another detailing annual consumer losses and government spending on fraud prevention. These provisions aim to improve coordination between law enforcement, financial institutions, and federal agencies to combat evolving fraud schemes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allows use of existing federal grant funds to combat fraud, promoting fiscal responsibility and protecting vulnerable populations without imposing new taxes or cutting services.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allocates federal grant funds for specialized investigation of elder financial fraud and scams, strengthening law enforcement's capacity in criminal justice.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates use of technology tools for tracking scams, enhancing cybersecurity efforts against financial fraud including crypto-related schemes.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 4, 2025

S 1955: Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act

This bill repeals key protections in the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act that shielded gun manufacturers from civil lawsuits. It allows victims of gun violence to use federal gun trace data (from the Firearms Trace System database) as evidence in civil court cases against gun sellers or manufacturers. The law makes this trace information discoverable, admissible, and usable in any civil action in state or federal courts, including the District of Columbia. This change directly affects victims seeking legal recourse and gun industry entities previously protected by the repealed law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRepeals protections shielding gun manufacturers, allowing victims to use trace data in civil cases against them, enhancing victim access to justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Apr 3, 2025

S 1283: Innovate to De-Escalate Modernization Act

This bill amends federal law to clarify that certain less-than-lethal projectile devices are exempt from firearm restrictions under Title 18. It defines these devices as those not firing standard ammunition, operating below 500 ft/s velocity, unlikely to cause serious injury, and incompatible with common firearm magazines. The law directly affects manufacturers and users of such devices by establishing a clear legal standard for their classification. It also requires the Attorney General to review device requests within 90 days to confirm compliance with the new definition.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies legal status of less-lethal devices to promote de-escalation in law enforcement, aligning with accountability reforms.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

Track