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118th Congress Crime and Law Enforcement

S. 3706: Victims' VOICES Act

Became LawPublic Law 118-77, signed Jul 30, 2024

  1. Introduced (completed)Jan 31, 2024
  2. Passed Senate (completed)Feb 29, 2024
  3. Passed House (completed)Jul 23, 2024, 408–2
  4. To the President (completed)Jul 25, 2024
  5. Became law (completed)Jul 30, 2024

Summary

Public Law, Jul 30, 2024

This act makes a person who has assumed a victim's rights eligible to receive restitution for certain expenses from a convicted defendant. The act applies to a person (i.e., legal guardian, representative of the victim's estate, another family member, or any other person appointed as suitable by the court) who has assumed the rights of a victim because such victim is under 18 years of age, incompetent, incapacitated, or deceased.

Under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act of 1996, federal courts must order defendants who are convicted of certain crimes to pay restitution to their victims. This restitution must include the costs to reimburse the victim for lost income and necessary child care, transportation, and other expenses incurred while participating in the investigation or prosecution of the offense or attending proceedings relating to the offense, as well as medical and nonmedical care and treatment, and other associated costs.

This act specifies that, in ordering restitution, a court must order the defendant to pay restitution to a person who has assumed the victim's rights. In particular, the defendant must pay restitution to reimburse the person's necessary and reasonable costs for (1) lost income, child care, transportation, and other expenses associated with participating in the investigation or prosecution of the offense or attending proceedings relating to the offense; and (2) lost income, transportation, and other expenses associated with transporting a victim to receive medical and nonmedical care and treatment (including physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation).

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Key votes

House final vote, Jul 23, 2024

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

Passed 408–2

Yea 408two-thirds 274Nay 2

  • Democrats199 yea, 0 nay
  • Republicans208 yea, 2 nay
  • Independents1 yea, 0 nay

Broke with their party: Chip Roy (R-TX) and Robert Good (R-VA) voted Nay

See how all 410 members voted

Showing 431 of 431 members

Yea 408

Republicans (208)

Democrats (199)

Independents (1)

Nay 2

Republicans (2) broke with their party

Not voting 21

Senate

Passed by unanimous consent

Feb 29, 2024

No recorded vote, so there is no member-by-member tally.

Roll calls

1 vote on this bill

Showing 1 of 1 roll calls

  • Jul 23, 2024HouseOn Motion to Suspend the Rules and PassFinal passagePassed, yea-nay 408–2
    Roll call 361 tally by party
    PartyYeaNayPresentNot voting
    Democrats1990013
    Republicans208208
    Independents1000
    Total4082021

    House roll call 361: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass. Passed.

    2 crossed party lines: 2 Republicans

    How each member voted (431)

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

3

Bipartisan support.

Who scored on this bill

184 points earned
  1. 1John Cornyn R-TX SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced, discharged, passed Senate, passed House, became law6 events+160
  2. 2Robert Good R-VA1 maverick vote1 event+6
  3. 2Chip Roy R-TX1 maverick vote1 event+6
  4. 4Marsha Blackburn R-TNCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
  5. 4Richard Blumenthal D-CTCosponsored; cosponsored bill passed2 events+4
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

Other bills by John Cornyn

History

  1. Jul 30, 2024Signed by the President. Became Public Law 118-77.
  2. Jul 25, 2024Presented to the President.
  3. Jul 23, 2024Passed the House, 408–2.
  4. Feb 29, 2024Passed the Senate by unanimous consent.
  5. Jan 31, 2024Introduced in the Senate by John Cornyn.
Show the full action history (19 actions)
  1. Jul 30, 2024Signed by President.
  2. Jul 30, 2024Became Public Law No: 118-77.
  3. Jul 25, 2024Presented to President.
  4. Jul 23, 2024Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4742-4743)
  5. Jul 23, 2024Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 - 2 (Roll no. 361). (text: 07/22/2024 CR H4654)
  6. Jul 23, 2024On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 - 2 (Roll no. 361). (text: 07/22/2024 CR H4654)
  7. Jul 23, 2024Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  8. Jul 22, 2024Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4654-4656)
  9. Jul 22, 2024Ms. Hageman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
  10. Jul 22, 2024DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3706.
  11. Jul 22, 2024At 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.
  12. Mar 1, 2024Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  13. Mar 1, 2024Received in the House.
  14. Mar 1, 2024Held at the desk.
  15. Feb 29, 2024Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
  16. Feb 29, 2024Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  17. Feb 29, 2024Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1090; text: CR S1090)
  18. Jan 31, 2024Introduced in Senate
  19. Jan 31, 2024Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.