Bill Details
HR.98 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-06-10 - Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 14.
Introduced Date
2025-01-03
Policy Area
Crime and Law Enforcement
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
10
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would remove a group of old or narrow federal criminal offenses that Congress says are no longer needed. It targets laws that punish things like writing a check for less than one dollar, making or using certain unusual coins, removing postage stamps from mail, sending mail without postage, wearing a postal worker’s uniform, and sledding on Capitol grounds in some situations. It also changes one law about letter carrier uniforms so it would only apply when someone has the intent to commit another crime. In simple terms, the bill is meant to clear out outdated rules and narrow one remaining offense.
- It repeals several specific federal crimes that are viewed as outdated or overly minor.
- It removes the federal offense for writing a check for less than $1.
- It repeals laws dealing with colored margarine rules, discarding produce without cause, removing stamps from mail, making original-design coins, boarding a vessel too early, mailing items without postage, and sledding on Capitol grounds under certain conditions.
- It changes the law about wearing a letter carrier’s uniform so it would only be a crime if done with the intent to commit another offense.
Official Summaries
End Endless Criminal Statutes Act
This bill permits individuals and organizations to make and pass metal coins intended for use as real money so long as the coins are of original design (i.e., do not resemble U.S. or foreign currency). Additionally, the bill repeals various federal misdemeanor offenses (i.e., criminal offenses punishable by a maximum prison term of one year or less), including the following:
- writing a check for less than $1,
- selling oleomargarine or colored margarine unless it complies with packaging and labeling requirements and is served in a triangular shape,
- removing a stamp from a piece of mail,
- boarding a vessel without authorization before it has been completely moored, and
- using the Capitol Grounds as a playground.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 98 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 98
To repeal certain unnecessary criminal offenses, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Biggs of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To repeal certain unnecessary criminal offenses, and for other
purposes.
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 ``End Endless Criminal Statutes Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that actions which may unnecessarily carry criminal
penalties under Federal statues include the following:
(1) Writing a check for less than $1.
(2) Selling or possessing colored oleomargarine or colored
margarine unless they are packaged and labeled or served in a
triangular shape.
(3) Discarding produce without sufficient cause or making a
false report concerning that produce.
(4) Removing a stamp from any mail matter.
(5) Making metal coins of original design or attempting to
use such coins.
(6) Wearing the uniform of letter carriers of the Postal
Service.
(7) Detaining a seaman's clothing.
(8) Boarding any vessel about to arrive at her destination
before such arrival is complete.
(9) Placing mailable matter in a mailbox without postage
attached to it.
(10) Sledding on the Capitol grounds when the Capitol
Police are directed to prevent any portion of the Capitol
grounds from being used as a playground.
SEC. 3. REPEAL OF FEDERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Section 336 of title 18, United States Code, is repealed.
(b) Subsections (b), (c), and (d) of section 407 of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 347) are repealed.
(c) Section 1 of the Act of March 3, 1927 (7 U.S.C. 491; 44 Stat.
1355) is repealed.
(d) Section 1720 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``Whoever unlawfully and willfully removes from any mail
matter any stamp attached thereto in payment of postage; or''.
(e) Section 486 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``or of original design.''.
(f) Section 11110 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by
striking the second sentence.
(g) Section 2279 of title 18, United States Code, is repealed.
(h) Section 1725 of title 18, United States Code, is repealed.
(i) The Act entitled ``An Act to protect the public property, turf,
and grass of the Capitol Grounds from injury.'' (2 U.S.C. 1963) is
repealed.
SEC. 4. INTENT REQUIREMENT FOR OFFENSE RELATED TO UNIFORMS OF LETTER
CARRIER.
Section 1730 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting after ``to be worn by letter carriers''
the following: ``with the intent to commit an offense under
this chapter''; and
(2) by striking the second undesignated paragraph.
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