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H.R. 5946 · 93th CongressIn committee

Heroin Trafficking Act

Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. · March 21, 1973

Live record from Congress.gov, updated as the official record changes.
What this bill would do
Official summary · Congressional Research Service

Heroin Trafficking Act - Title I: Increased Penalties - Increases penalties for manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a mixture or substance containing any amount of heroin or morphine which is a controlled substance under schedule I or II of the Controlled Substances Act. States that if the person was convicted of the offense with respect to less than four ounces of such mixture or substance, he would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five years nor more than fifteen years imprisonment, and could also be fined not more than $50,000. Provides that if the person was convicted of the offense with respect to four ounces or more of such mixture or substance, he would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than ten years, or for life, and could be fined not more than $100,000. States that, if a person convicted of an offense involving less than four ounces had previously been convicted of a Federal, State or foreign felony relating to heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, or committed the offense while released pending trial, appeal, or sentencing on a charge involving heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, he shall be subject to a minimum mandatory sentence of not less than ten years, or a life sentence, and may be fined not more than $100,000. Provides that if a person convicted of an offense involving four ounces or more had prevously been convicted of a Federal, State or foreign felony relating to heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, or committed the offense while released pending trial, appeal, or sentencing, on a charge involving heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, he shall be subject to life imprisonment with no parole. Directs that no sentence under these provisions could be suspended, probation could not be granted, and the Federal Youth Corrections Act could not be applied. Provides that a conviction of illegally possessing four or more ounces of a mixture or substance containing any amount of heroin or morphine would require a sentence of imprisonment for a term of years of not less than 10 years, or for life, with parole, and, in addition, a possible fine of not more than $100,000. States that if the person had previously been convicted of a Federal, State, or foreign felony relating to heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, or if the offense was committed while the person was released pending trial, appeal, or sentencing on a charge involving heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, there would be a sentence of life imprisonment with no parole. Provides that execution of a sentence imposed under these provisions could not be suspended, probation could be granted, and the Federal Youth Corrections Act could not be applied. Increases the penalties for illegal importation or exportation, or manufacture or distribution for illegal Increases the penalties for illegal importation or exportation, or manufacture or distribution for illegal importation, of heroin or morphine. States that if the person was convicted of the offense with respect to less than four ounces of a mixture or substance containing any amount of heroin or morphine controlled in schedule I or II, he would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five years nor more than fifteen years imprisonment, and could also be fined not more than $50,000. Provides that if the person was convicted of the offense with respect to four ounces or more of such a mixture or substance, he would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, of for life, and could be fined not more than $100,000. States that sentence could not be suspended, probation could not be granted, and the Federal Youth Corrections Act could not be applied. Title II: Conditions of Release - Requires a judicial officer in setting conditions of pretrial release, under the Bail Reform Act of 1966, of a person charged under the Controlled Substances Act or the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act with an offense relating to heroin or morphine which is a controlled substance in schedule I or II, to consider the safety of others and their property and the safety of the community in addition to the consideration of risk of right. Denies release pending trial, absent compelling curcumstances, to certain categories of persons charged with a violation of this Act. Provides for Appeals from orders denying pretrial release to be taken by the individual Appeals from orders granting pretrial to be taken by the United States.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on March 21, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

Status
Introduced
March 21, 1973
In committee
March 21, 1973
Passed a chamber
Cleared Congress
Enacted
Where this sits in the process
Common questions
Composed from the official record
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?

4 steps remain before this bill could become law.

The record's latest action, on March 21, 1973: Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

  1. Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
  2. Passage by the House
  3. Passage by the Senate
  4. The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?

Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.

In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.

This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.

Has anyone actually voted on it?

No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.

A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.

Who is behind it?

LOUIS FREY (R-FL) introduced it on March 21, 1973, and 8 members have since signed on as cosponsors.

They come from both major parties: 1 Democrat, 7 Republicans.

Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.

How long has it been in play?

It was introduced on March 21, 1973, 19531 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19531 days ago, on March 21, 1973.

Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.

Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.

Vote history

  1. House
    In committee, no floor vote yet
  2. Senate
    Awaits House passage
  3. President
    Awaits both chambers
No recorded votes yet
No roll call in this Congress cites this bill. Most bills die in committee without ever reaching a recorded floor vote.