[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 37 (Thursday, February 29, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1089-S1090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     JUSTICE FOR MURDER VICTIMS ACT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 3859, introduced earlier 
today by Senators Grassley and Ossoff.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 3859) to ensure that homicides can be prosecuted 
     under Federal law without regard to the time elapsed between 
     the act or omission that caused the death of the victim and 
     the death itself.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I further ask that the bill be considered read three 
times and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and 
laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 3859) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 3859

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page S1090]]

  


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Justice for Murder Victims 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. HOMICIDE OFFENSES.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 51 of title 18, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 1123. No maximum time period between act or omission 
       and death of victim

       ``(a) In General.--A prosecution may be instituted for any 
     homicide offense under this title without regard to the time 
     that elapsed between--
       ``(1) the act or omission that caused the death of the 
     victim; and
       ``(2) the death of the victim.
       ``(b) Relation to Statute of Limitations.--Nothing in 
     subsection (a) shall be construed to supersede the 
     limitations period under section 3282(a), to the extent 
     applicable.
       ``(c) Maximum Time Period Applicable if Death Penalty 
     Imposed.--A sentence of death may not be imposed for a 
     homicide offense under this title unless the Government 
     proves beyond a reasonable doubt that not more than 1 year 
     and 1 day elapsed between--
       ``(1) the act or omission that caused the death of the 
     victim; and
       ``(2) the death of the victim.''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of sections for chapter 
     51 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:

``1123. No maximum time period between act or omission and death of 
              victim.''.
       (c) Applicability.--Section 1123(a) of title 18, United 
     States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with 
     respect to an act or omission described in that section that 
     occurs after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (d) Maximum Penalty for First-degree Murder Based on Time 
     Period Between Act or Omission and Death of Victim.--Section 
     1111(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after ``imprisonment for life'' the following: ``, 
     unless the death of the victim occurred more than 1 year and 
     1 day after the act or omission that caused the death of the 
     victim, in which case the punishment shall be imprisonment 
     for any term of years or for life''.

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