NACDL

Final Status: Passed House, Never Became Law

H.R. 1279
Ineffective and Costly Federal Intrusion in State Law Enforcement
HOUSE APPROVES GANG BILL, May 11, 2005

Last Minute Changes Raise Concerns

The manager's amendment to the gang bill includes a dangerously broad definition of "crime of violence" that is certain to have unintended consequences. Diverse groups from the business and civil rights communities strongly opposed the near identical language before it was stripped from a Senate bill last year.

• Business Coalition 
• Business Civil Liberties, Inc. 
• Civil Rights Coalition 

Background

• Fact Sheet 
• House Bill Text 
• Senate Bill Text 
• Talking Points 
• House Bill Summary & Status 
• Side By Side Comparison of H.R. 1279 and S. 155 (Congressional Research Service) 
• Summary (by FAMM) 
• Analysis of S. 155 (by FAMM) 
• Analysis of Select Provisions (by National Immigration Forum) 
• Analysis of NCIC provisions (by National Immigration Forum) 
• Committee Report 
• Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC): Floor Speech Opposing H.R. 1279 

Opposition to S.155

• Letter Opposing Death Penalty Provisions 
• American Bar Association 
• Business Coalition Opposing Conspiracy Provision 
• Business Coalition Opposing "Crime of Violence" Definition: June 2, 2004; July 13, 2005 
• 79 Civil and Human Rights Organizations Opposing "Crime of Violence" Definition 
• Federal Public and Community Defenders 
• Human Rights Watch 
• Judicial Conference of the United States 

Opposition to H.R. 1279

• Organizations Opposing Provisions of H.R. 1279 
• American Bar Association 
• Coalition Opposing Capital Sentencing Provisions 
• Coalition Opposing Mandatory Minimums 
• Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) 
• Federal Public and Community Defenders 
• Chamber of Commerce, NFIB, et al. 
• Judicial Conference of the United States 
• National Council of La Raza 
• National Hispanic Organizations 
• National Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Coalition 

Materials

• "Better Ways to Fight Gang-Related Crime," Washington Post, August 30, 2005.
• "No Silver Bullet for Youth Gangs," Washington Times, August 29, 2005.
• "Gang Bill Takes Cue From Organized Crime Legislation," Washington Post, July 17, 2005.
• "An Abridged View of the Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act (H.R. 1279)," CRS, June 13, 2005.
• "Ganging Up on Crime," Edwin J. Feulner, The Heritage Foundation, May 19, 2005.
• "Ill-Served By Harsh Minimums," St. Petersburg Times (Florida), May 17, 2005.
• "Gang Busters and Court-Busters," Daytona Beach News-Journal, May 16, 2005.
• "The House Overreaches," Washington Post, May 16, 2005.
• "Anti-Crime Hysteria in the U.S. Congress," Miami Herald, May 12, 2005.
• "North American Youth Gangs: Patterns and Remedies," Stephen Johnson, The Heritage Foundation, April 21, 2005.
• "The Gang Act Needs Modification," Paul Rosenzweig, The Heritage Foundation (regarding Senate Gang Bill of 2004).