A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to insert a general provision for criminal attempt.
Latest action. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Amends the Federal criminal code to provide that whoever, acting with the state of mind otherwise required for the commission of a Federal offense, intentionally engages in conduct that, in fact, constitutes a substantial step toward the commission of the offense, is guilty of an attempt and is subject to the same penalties as prescribed for the offense the commission of which was the object of the attempt (but bars imposition of the death penalty). Specifies that inability to commit the offense, and completion of the offense, are not defenses to a prosecution under this Act, with exceptions. Makes it an affirmative defense, on which the defendant bears the burden of persuasion by a preponderance of the evidence, that under circumstances manifesting a voluntary and complete renunciation of criminal intent, the defendant prevented the commission of the offense.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on February 11, 1999. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
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 February 11, 1999: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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 106th Congress (1999-00), 580 of the 9,158 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 6.3 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?
MICHAEL DEWINE (R-OH) introduced it on February 11, 1999. No cosponsors are recorded.
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 February 11, 1999, 10120 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 10120 days ago, on February 11, 1999.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 106th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2001 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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers