H.R. 3359 · 117th Congress

Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021

Introduced on May 19, 2021 by Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15). 17 cosponsors, 2 of them from another party. Became Public Law 117-164.

Stage
Became law
Public Law 117-164
Introduced
May 19, 2021
Cosponsors
17
2 from the other party
Policy area
Crime and Law Enforcement
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Sent to the President
  6. Became law

Official title

To provide for a system for reviewing the case files of cold case murders at the instance of certain persons, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Administrative law and regulatory procedures
  • Administrative remedies
  • Congressional oversight
  • Crime victims
  • Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
  • Criminal justice information and records
  • Employment and training programs
  • Evidence and witnesses
  • Family relationships
  • Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
  • Government information and archives
  • Law enforcement administration and funding
  • Violent crime

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Aug 3, 2022). Public domain.

Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021

This bill establishes a framework for immediate family members of a victim of murder under federal law to request a review of the victim's case file if the murder was committed more than three years prior, the murder was investigated by a federal law enforcement entity, all probative investigative leads have been exhausted, and no likely perpetrator has been identified.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Eric SwalwellD-CA-15Sponsor

Democrats · 15

Republicans · 2

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
    Mar 29, 2022· House· Passage· Passed 406–20

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. May 19, 2021Introduced in House
  2. May 19, 2021Introduced in House
  3. May 19, 2021 · HouseReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
  4. Nov 9, 2021 · HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
  5. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseSubcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Discharged.
  6. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  7. Dec 8, 2021 · HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  8. Mar 28, 2022Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-280.
  9. Mar 28, 2022 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 117-280.
  10. Mar 28, 2022 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 207.
  11. Mar 28, 2022 · HouseMs. Jackson Lee moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  12. Mar 28, 2022 · HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3875-3880)
  13. Mar 28, 2022 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3359.
  14. Mar 28, 2022 · HouseAt the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  15. Mar 29, 2022 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3952-3953)
  16. Mar 29, 2022Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 406 - 20 (Roll no. 88).(text: 3/28/2022 CR H3875-3876)House · Roll call 88
  17. Mar 29, 2022 · HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 406 - 20 (Roll no. 88). (text: 3/28/2022 CR H3875-3876)House · Roll call 88
  18. Mar 29, 2022 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  19. Mar 30, 2022 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  20. Jul 25, 2022Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  21. Jul 25, 2022 · SenateSenate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S3627)
  22. Jul 25, 2022Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  23. Jul 25, 2022 · SenatePassed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  24. Jul 26, 2022 · SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
  25. Aug 2, 2022Presented to President.
  26. Aug 2, 2022 · HousePresented to President.
  27. Aug 3, 2022Signed by President.
  28. Aug 3, 2022Signed by President.
  29. Aug 3, 2022Became Public Law No: 117-164.
  30. Aug 3, 2022Became Public Law No: 117-164.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.