Number: RS22719
Title: Capital Punishment Legislation in the 110th Congress: A Sketch
Authors: Charles Doyle, American Law Division 
Abstract: Most capital offenses are state crimes. In 1994, however, Congress revived the death penalty as a federal sentencing option. More than a few federal statutes now proscribe offenses punishable by death. A number of bills were offered during the 110th Congress to modify federal law in the area. None were enacted. One, S. 447/H.R. 6875, would have abolished the federal death penalty. Another (H.J.Res. 80) would have amended the Constitution to abolish capital punishment as a sentencing alternative for either state or federal crimes. Other proposed amendments would have eased constitutional limitations on the death penalty as a sentencing option, particularly in cases involving the rape of children (H.J.Res. 83, H.J.Res. 96). Several proposals would have increased the number of capital offenses to include one or more newly created offenses or existing non-capital offenses newly designated as capital offenses, e.g., H.R. 855, H.R. 880, H.R. 1118, H.R. 1645, H.R. 2376, H.R. 3147, H.R. 3150, H.R. 3156, S. 330, S. 607, S. 1320, S. 1348, and S. 1860. Numbered among the new capital offenses and newly designated capital offenses would have been murder related to street gang offenses or Travel Act violations, murder committed during and in relation to drug trafficking, murder committed in the course of evading border inspection, murder of disaster assistance workers or members of the armed forces, and various terrorismrelated murders.
Pages: 6
Date: October 15, 2008