WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) yesterday joined U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and 23 of their Republican colleagues in introducing a broad package to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws related to homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and other offenses. The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act resolves discrepancies brought on by conflicting court decisions and clarifies congressional intent regarding crimes of violence and their respective penalties. Despite an ongoing crime wave, no Democrats have agreed to co-sponsor the fixes.

“The dramatic rise in violent crime across our country has been felt in every community, and West Virginia is no exception. As the Biden administration continues to nominate soft-on-crime federal judges and enact policies that keep violent criminals on the streets, my Republican colleagues and I are offering solutions that remove legal ambiguity, and help make our communities safer,” Senator Capito said. “West Virginians respect law and order and deserve peace of mind in their individual comminutes, which is why I will continue to work with my colleagues to create innovative solutions that deter crime, and support our brave law enforcement officers as they work to keep our residents safe.”

The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act addresses ambiguity and conflicting application of existing law by clarifying congressional intent without establishing sweeping new offense categories.

Among other provisions, the bill:

  • Clarifies that attempted bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery are punishable under the current bank robbery statute;
  • Abolishes an outdated rule that prohibits perpetrators of violent crime from being charged with murder if the victim succumbs to injuries sustained by that violent crime 366 days after the attack;
  • Rectifies conflicting circuit court decisions that have resulted in a higher burden to charge offenses like assaulting a police officer than Congress intended;
  • Increases the statutory maximum penalty for carjacking and removes a duplicative intent requirement needed to charge a carjacking offense;
  • Rectifies conflicting circuit court decisions by clarifying that an attempt or conspiracy to commit an offence involving physical force meets the legal definition of a crime of violence;
  • Outlaws the marketing of candy-flavored drugs to minors; and
  • Establishes a new category of violent kidnapping offences, allowing for greater penalties for violent kidnapping.

In addition to Senators Capito and Grassley, the bill is cosponsored by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Kennedy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).

Full text is available here.

A section-by-section is available here.

A summary is available here.

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