Bill Details
View committees (1)
View cosponsors (1)
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill changes where certain federal criminal cases can be brought if the offense happened in the National Capital Region on property controlled by the federal government. In most of these cases, the charges would be filed in the district where the accused person lives, or in the District of Columbia if no home address is known. The bill also gives some defendants the right to ask for the case to be moved to the district where they live. It sets rules for cases with multiple defendants, excludes people who do not live in the United States from asking for a transfer, and applies only to certain pending cases that had not yet been scheduled for trial when the law takes effect.
- The National Capital Region includes Washington, D.C., nearby Maryland counties, and several Northern Virginia counties and cities.
- The rule applies to offenses on property owned or leased by the federal government, except Postal Service property.
- If the defendant asks, the court must move the case to the district where the defendant is domiciled, meaning where the person is legally based.
- If more than one defendant asks for a transfer, the court must grant the request of the first one who filed it. A person not domiciled in the United States cannot use this transfer option.
Official Summaries
Venue Named Under Exception Act or the VENUE Act
This bill changes the venue rules for cases involving criminal offenses on federal property in the National Capital Region. Venue refers to the court where it is proper for a case to proceed.
Specifically, the bill requires certain cases involving criminal offenses committed on federal property in the National Capital Region (Washington, DC and specified regions of Maryland and Virginia) to be brought in the district of the last known residence of the offender (or of any one of two or more joint offenders). If the last residence of the offender is not known, then the case may be brought in DC.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 194 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 194
To amend chapter 211 of title 18, United States Code, to modify venue
for certain offenses.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Self (for himself and Mr. Nehls) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend chapter 211 of title 18, United States Code, to modify venue
for certain offenses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Venue Named Under Exception Act'' or
the ``VENUE Act''.
SEC. 2. VENUE FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES.
(a) In General.--Chapter 211 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3245. Offenses committed in the National Capital Region
``(a) Offenses in National Capital Region.--In the case of an
offense that is committed in the National Capital Region on property
under the control of the Federal Government, an indictment or
information shall be filed in the district of the last known residence
of the offender or of any one of two or more joint offenders, or if no
such residence is known, the indictment or information may be filed in
the District of Columbia.
``(b) Transfer.--
``(1) Right to transfer.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), a
district court shall, upon motion of the defendant, grant a
transfer of an indictment or information to the district court
encompassing the jurisdiction where the defendant is domiciled.
``(2) Multiple defendants.--If multiple defendants file a
motion to transfer an indictment or information under paragraph
(1), the district court shall grant the motion of the defendant
who filed the motion first.
``(3) Defendants not domiciled in the united states.--A
defendant not domiciled in the United States may not file a
motion to transfer an indictment or information under paragraph
(1).
``(c) Definition.--In this section:
``(1) The term `National Capital Region' means the
geographic area located within the boundaries of--
``(A) the District of Columbia;
``(B) Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in
the State of Maryland;
``(C) Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince
William Counties and the Cities of Alexandria and Falls
Church in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and
``(D) all cities and other units of government
within the geographic areas of such District, Counties,
and City.
``(2) The term `property under the control of the Federal
Government' means property owned or leased by the United
States, or any agency thereof, except in the case of the United
States Postal Service.
``(d) Pending Cases.--This section shall apply to any offense with
respect to which a trial has not been scheduled as of the date of
enactment of this section.
``(e) Limitation.--This section shall only apply to an offense not
otherwise subject to section 3235, 3236, 3237, 3238, 3239, 3241, 3242,
3243 or 3244.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 211 of
title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``3245. Offenses committed in the National Capital Region.''.
<all>