Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8940
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-03T08:06:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8940 – Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act
Purpose
This legislation aims to end the use of capital punishment under federal law by prohibiting any new death sentences and requiring resentencing for existing ones.
Key Provisions
- Section 1 (Short Title): Designates the bill as the "Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act."
- Section 2(a) (Prohibition on Imposition of Death Sentence): States that no person may be sentenced to death or executed on or after the date of enactment for any federal offense, overriding any other laws.
- Section 2(b) (Persons Sentenced Before Date of Enactment): Requires that individuals already sentenced to death for federal violations prior to enactment must be resentenced.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Eliminates the federal death penalty entirely for future cases, replacing it with alternative sentencing options under existing federal statutes.
- Mandates resentencing proceedings for all current federal death row inmates, altering prior judicial outcomes without specifying new sentence types.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires federal courts and the Department of Justice to conduct resentencing hearings and adjust prosecutorial practices for capital cases.
- Citizens: Affects individuals convicted of federal capital offenses by removing the possibility of execution and requiring new sentencing determinations.
- International Relations: No direct provisions address foreign policy or treaties.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal inmates currently under death sentences.
- Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys handling capital cases.
- Victims' families and advocacy groups involved in federal criminal proceedings.
- The U.S. judicial system and Congress as the body enacting the change.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Creates a statutory override of prior federal statutes authorizing the death penalty for specific crimes.
- Raises questions about retroactive application to existing sentences through mandatory resentencing.
- Represents a legislative shift in federal criminal justice policy without addressing state-level death penalty laws.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
Cosponsors (26)
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-20: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act — issued 2026-05-20 — PDF (2 pages)