Bill Summary
The "Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act" is a legislative proposal aimed at amending the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) under Title 18 of the United States Code. The bill seeks to strengthen sentencing guidelines for individuals who are convicted of illegal possession of firearms under certain conditions.
Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Enhanced Sentencing**: It establishes that individuals who knowingly violate section 922(g) (which pertains to the possession of firearms by prohibited persons) and have three or more prior serious felony convictions will face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years, with a maximum of 30 years. Importantly, courts are prohibited from suspending this sentence or granting probation for such offenders.
2. **Definitions**: The bill clarifies terms related to serious felony convictions. It defines a "serious felony conviction" as either a single felony offense punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 10 years or multiple convictions that collectively result in a total imprisonment term of at least 10 years, regardless of the actual time served.
3. **Applicability**: The amendments will apply to offenses committed after the bill's enactment. It also states that these changes do not grant individuals the right to challenge sentences imposed under the new guidelines.
Overall, the legislation aims to impose stricter penalties on repeat offenders who illegally possess firearms, thereby enhancing public safety and addressing gun violence.
Possible Impacts
The "Restoring the Armed Career Criminal Act" could affect people in several ways:
1. **Increased Sentencing for Repeat Offenders**: Individuals convicted of violating section 922(g) and who have three or more serious felony convictions will face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years, with no possibility of probation or sentence suspension. This means that repeat offenders will serve significantly longer prison terms, which could deter future criminal behavior but may also lead to overcrowded prisons and strain on the criminal justice system.
2. **Impact on Rehabilitation Opportunities**: By imposing stricter sentencing rules and eliminating the possibility of probation for certain offenders, the legislation could reduce opportunities for rehabilitation. Offenders may have less incentive to participate in programs aimed at reducing recidivism, knowing they will serve long, non-negotiable prison sentences. This could affect their reintegration into society upon release, leading to higher rates of recidivism.
3. **Community and Family Effects**: The longer sentences associated with this legislation can have significant social impacts on families and communities. Families of offenders may face financial and emotional hardships due to the absence of their loved ones. Additionally, communities could experience increased instability and a cycle of poverty as families struggle to cope with the long-term incarceration of a member. This could further contribute to crime and social issues within those communities.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2250 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2250
To amend title 18, United States Code, relating to sentencing of armed
career criminals.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 10, 2025
Mrs. Blackburn (for herself and Mr. Cotton) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, relating to sentencing of armed
career criminals.
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 ``Restoring the Armed Career Criminal
Act''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL ACT.
Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``(a)(6), (g), (h),
(i), (j), or (o) of section 922'' and inserting ``(a)(6), (d),
(h), (i), (j), or (o) of section 922, or, except as provided in
subsection (e) of this section, subsection (g) of section
922''; and
(2) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
``(e)(1) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(g) and has 3 or
more previous serious felony convictions for offenses committed on
occasions different from one another shall be fined under this title
and imprisoned not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years, and,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court shall not suspend
the sentence of, or grant a probationary sentence to, such person with
respect to the conviction under section 922(g).
``(2) In this subsection--
``(A) the term `offense punishable by imprisonment for a
statutory maximum term of not less than 10 years' includes an
offense (without regard to the application of any sentencing
guideline, statutory criterion, or judgment that may provide
for a shorter period of imprisonment within the statutory
sentencing range) for which the statute provides for a range in
the period of imprisonment that may be imposed at sentencing
the maximum term of which is not less than 10 years; and
``(B) the term `serious felony conviction' means--
``(i) any conviction by a court that, at the time
of sentencing, was a felony offense punishable by
imprisonment for a statutory maximum term of not less
than 10 years; or
``(ii) any group of convictions for which a court
imposed in the same proceeding or in consolidated
proceedings a total term of imprisonment of not less
than 10 years, regardless of how many years of that
total term the defendant served in custody.''.
SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY.
(a) In General.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to any
offense committed after the date of enactment of this Act by an
individual who, on the date on which the offense is committed, has 3 or
more previous serious felony convictions, as defined in subsection (e)
of section 924 of title 18, United States Code, as amended by this Act.
(b) Rule of Construction.--This Act and the amendments made by this
Act shall not be construed to create any right to challenge a sentence
imposed under subsection (e) of section 924 of title 18, United States
Code.
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