Count the Crimes to Cut Act | ChamberLight

PASSED HOUSE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 2159Criminal justice information and recordsCongressional oversight

Count the Crimes to Cut Act

INTRO MAR 14· LAST ACTION APR 14

READING

4MIN

COSPONSORS

4BIPARTISAN

READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL

NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST

One chamber only

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 4 / 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

Voters should care about this bill because it aims to shed light on the sheer volume and complexity of federal criminal laws, many of which are obscure or rarely enforced. Currently, it's very difficult for anyone, including legal experts, to know every single action that could lead to federal criminal charges, especially those hidden within regulatory codes.

If this bill becomes law, it would create a comprehensive, centralized, and publicly available resource detailing all federal crimes. This transparency could inform discussions about overcriminalization, reform efforts, or whether certain laws are outdated or unnecessary. If it doesn't pass, the current fragmented and often opaque system of identifying federal criminal offenses will persist, making it challenging for people to understand their legal obligations.

KEY PROVISIONS

5AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Requires the Attorney General to compile a report on all criminal statutory offenses, detailing their elements, potential penalties, prosecution history over 15 years, and mens rea requirements.

This provision creates a central inventory of crimes directly established by federal laws, providing clarity on their scope and enforcement.

PROVISION 02

Mandates that specific federal agencies report on all criminal regulatory offenses enforceable by their agency, including penalties, prosecution referrals over 15 years, and mens rea requirements.

This shines a light on criminal offenses derived from agency regulations, which are often less known and understood than statutory crimes.

PROVISION 03

Directs the Attorney General and each specified agency to establish and maintain a free, publicly accessible online index of all identified criminal offenses within two years.

This ensures long-term public transparency and ease of access to the comprehensive list of federal crimes.

PROVISION 04

The reports must include the number of prosecutions or referrals to the Department of Justice for each offense over the 15-year period preceding the bill's enactment.

This data provides insight into which criminal laws are actively enforced versus those that are rarely or never prosecuted.

PROVISION 05

Each report must specify the 'mens rea' (state of mind or intent) required for each criminal offense.

Clarifying the mens rea requirement is crucial for understanding what level of intent is needed for a criminal conviction, protecting individuals from accidental violations.

SPONSORSHIP

1 + 4

COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 100%

DEM 2 REP 2 IND 0

ACTION TIMELINE

26 EVENTS

APR 14

Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley without amendment. Without written report.

COMMITTEE

APR 14

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 370.

CALENDARS

MAR 26

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

COMMITTEE

MAR 26

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

COMMITTEE

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 2159

Congress119th

StatusPassed House

IntroducedMar 14, 2025

Last actionApr 14, 2026

READER REACTIONS

OVERALL SENTIMENT

No reactions yet. Be the first to weigh in.

Discussion

Loading comments...

Call my reps

PASSED HOUSE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAR 14, 2025

House BillHR 2159Criminal justice information and recordsCongressional oversight

Count the Crimes to Cut Act

INTRODUCED MAR 14, 2025· LAST ACTION APR 14, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

4 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 4 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Requires the Attorney General to compile a report on all criminal statutory offenses, detailing their elements, potential penalties, prosecution history over 15 years, and mens rea requirements.

This provision creates a central inventory of crimes directly established by federal laws, providing clarity on their scope and enforcement.

high

Mandates that specific federal agencies report on all criminal regulatory offenses enforceable by their agency, including penalties, prosecution referrals over 15 years, and mens rea requirements.

This shines a light on criminal offenses derived from agency regulations, which are often less known and understood than statutory crimes.

high

Directs the Attorney General and each specified agency to establish and maintain a free, publicly accessible online index of all identified criminal offenses within two years.

This ensures long-term public transparency and ease of access to the comprehensive list of federal crimes.

med

The reports must include the number of prosecutions or referrals to the Department of Justice for each offense over the 15-year period preceding the bill's enactment.

This data provides insight into which criminal laws are actively enforced versus those that are rarely or never prosecuted.

med

Each report must specify the 'mens rea' (state of mind or intent) required for each criminal offense.

Clarifying the mens rea requirement is crucial for understanding what level of intent is needed for a criminal conviction, protecting individuals from accidental violations.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

1 year after date of enactment

Attorney General's report on criminal statutory offenses due.

1 year after date of enactment

Federal agencies' reports on criminal regulatory offenses due.

2 years after date of enactment

Publicly accessible index of criminal statutory offenses to be established by the Attorney General on the Department of Justice website.

2 years after date of enactment

Publicly accessible index of criminal regulatory offenses to be established by the head of each specified agency on their agency's website.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Criminal statutory offense: A crime that is directly defined and established by a federal law passed by Congress.
Criminal regulatory offense: A crime that comes from a federal agency's rules or regulations, where violating that rule can lead to criminal charges.
Elements of a criminal offense: The specific facts that government lawyers must prove beyond a reasonable doubt for someone to be found guilty of a particular crime.
Mens rea: Latin for 'guilty mind,' this refers to the mental state or intent (like intentionally or knowingly) a person must have had to be found guilty of a specific crime.
Publicly accessible index: An online, searchable list or database that anyone can view and use for free, without needing special permission or accounts.
Department of Justice (DOJ): The federal executive department in the U.S. government responsible for enforcing federal laws and administering justice.
Committee on the Judiciary: A committee in both the House of Representatives and the Senate that reviews legislation related to the justice system, federal courts, and criminal laws.

ACTION TIMELINE

26 EVENTS

APR 14

Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley without amendment. Without written report.

COMMITTEE

APR 14

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 370.

CALENDARS

MAR 26

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

COMMITTEE

MAR 26

Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

COMMITTEE

READER REACTIONS

0 COMMENTS

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

What do you think?

0 votes

Discussion

Loading comments...

MORE INFORMATION

Committee Referrals

Judiciary CommitteeReferred

Oct 17, 2025

house

Related Hearings

H.R. 589, the FACE Act Repeal Act of 2025; H.R. 3492, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act of 2025; H.R. 59, the Mens Rea Reform Act of 2025; H.R. 98, the End Endless Criminal Statutes Act; H.R. 2159, the Count the Crimes to Cut Act of 2025; and H.R. 421, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act

Judiciary Committee (house)Jun 10, 2025

Video

Business meeting to consider the nominations of Melissa Holyoak, to be United States Attorney for the District of Utah for the term of four years, Phillip Williams, Jr., to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama for the term of four years, Colin McDonald, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General, James Bishop, to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina for the term of four years, Brian Barber, to be United States Marshal for the Western District of Louisiana for the term of four years, Steven Lewis, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri, for the term of four years, and Priscilla Lopez, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Florida for the term of four years, all of the Department of Justice, S.545, to prohibit certain uses of xylazine, and H.R.2159, to direct the Attorney General of the United States to submit to the Congress a report on Federal criminal offenses.

Judiciary Committee (senate)Mar 12, 2026

Video

Business meeting to consider S.545, to prohibit certain uses of xylazine, H.R.2159, to direct the Attorney General of the United States to submit to the Congress a report on Federal criminal offenses, S.2934, to limit the availability of civil actions affected by United States sanctions, and the nominations of Colin McDonald, of California, to be an Assistant Attorney General, James Bishop, to be United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, Brian Barber, to be United States Marshal for the Western District of Louisiana, Steven Lewis, to be United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri, Priscilla Lopez, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Florida, Brian Gootkin, to be United States Marshal for the District of Montana, and James Stuart, to be United States Marshal for the District of Minnesota, all of the Department of Justice.

Judiciary Committee (senate)Mar 19, 2026

Video

Business meeting to consider S.545, to prohibit certain uses of xylazine, H.R.2159, to direct the Attorney General of the United States to submit to the Congress a report on Federal criminal offenses, S.2934, to limit the availability of civil actions affected by United States sanctions, and the nominations of Brian Gootkin, to be United States Marshal for the District of Montana, and James Stuart, to be United States Marshal for the District of Minnesota.

Judiciary Committee (senate)Mar 26, 2026

Video

Search

Count the Crimes to Cut Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

Count the Crimes to Cut Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

SPONSORS

READER REACTIONS

What do you think?

Discussion

MORE INFORMATION

Committee Referrals

Related Legislation

Related Hearings