IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 250 

Expressing the need to eliminate life without parole for children. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 5, 2017 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS (for himself, Mr. COHEN, and Mr. VARGAS) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the need to eliminate life without parole for 

children. 

Whereas approximately 2,500 individuals in the United 

States have been sentenced to die in prison for crimes 

committed as children; 

Whereas the United States is the only country in the world 

that imposes life without the possibility of release or parole sentences on children; 

Whereas the United States is the only United Nations member state that has not ratified the Convention on the 

Rights of the Child which prohibits the use of the death 

penalty and life without the possibility of release sentences from being imposed on children under 18 years of 

age; 


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Whereas a life without the possibility of release or parole sentence is a final judgment that disregards children’s 

unique capacity to grow and change as they mature into 

adulthood; 

Whereas studies have shown that children’s brains are not 

fully developed and as a result, children are less capable 

than adults to consider the long-term impact of their actions, control their emotions and impulses, or evaluate 

risks and reward; 

Whereas fundamental differences between juvenile and adult 

brains make children uniquely capable of long-term 

growth, rehabilitation, and change as their brains mature 

over time; 

Whereas the vast majority of children who commit crimes age 

out of criminal behavior and no longer pose a threat to 

society in adulthood; 

Whereas the United States recognizes that children are different from adults by the limitations society places upon 

them; 

Whereas children are not allowed to enter into contracts, purchase or consume tobacco and alcohol, vote, serve in the 

military, or engage in other adult activities; 

Whereas the only area where the United States does not treat 

children different from adults is in criminal sentencing 

laws; 

Whereas children sentenced to life without the possibility of 

release or parole are most frequently the most vulnerable 

members of society; 

Whereas studies show that nearly 80 percent of juvenile lifers 

reported witnessing violence in their homes and more 


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than half (54.1 percent) witnessed weekly violence in 

their neighborhoods; 

Whereas, in addition, 50 percent of all children sentenced to 

life in prison without the possibility of parole have been 

physically abused and 20 percent have been sexually 

abused as a child; 

Whereas Black children are 10 times more likely to receive 

a life without the possibility of release or parole sentence; 

Whereas 18 States, including Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Delaware, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, West Virginia, Utah, South Dakota, Iowa, and Arkansas, and the 

District of Columbia, have all eliminated life without the 

possibility of release or parole sentences for all children 

under 18 years of age in the last several years; 

Whereas 3 other States including California, Florida, and 

Washington have eliminated life without the possibility of 

release or parole for most children under 18 years of age 

in the last several years; 

Whereas the American Bar Association passed Resolution 

107C earlier this year calling on the Federal Government 

and all State governments to retroactively abolish life 

without parole sentences for children; 

Whereas the United Methodist Church and the Roman 

Catholic Church have called for an end to life without the 

possibility of release or parole sentences for children; 

Whereas, 12 years ago, the Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons struck down the death penalty for children under 

18 years of age; 

Whereas, 7 years ago, the Supreme Court in Graham v. Florida struck down the use of life without the possibility of 


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release or parole sentences for non-homicide crimes committed by children under 18 years of age; 

Whereas, 5 years ago, the Supreme Court in Miller v. Alabama struck down the use of mandatory life without parole sentences and required sentencing bodies to consider 

the mitigating factors of youth anytime a child faces a 

potential life sentence; and 

Whereas, 1 year ago, the Supreme Court in Montgomery v. 

Louisiana clarified that its Miller v. Alabama decision 

held that life without parole sentences for children violated the 8th Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment even for homicide offenses, unless it 

can be shown that a child is irreparably corrupt or beyond rehabilitation which should be exceptionally rare 

and uncommon: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) applauds and celebrates the anniversaries of 

3 the decisions by the Roper, Graham, Miller, and 

4 Montgomery courts for striking down the death pen5 alty and use of life without parole sentences for non6 homicide offenses and mandatory life without parole 

7 sentences for children in the United States; 

8 (2) applauds and celebrates the States of 

9 Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Kentucky, Kansas, Colo10 rado, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Delaware, Massa11 chusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, West Virginia, 

12 Utah, South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, California, 

13 Florida, and Washington, and the District of ColumVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Apr 05, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR250.IH HR250

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1 bia, for recent legislative changes that eliminated life 

2 without the possibility of release or parole sentences 

3 for children convicted of serious crimes in their ju4 risdictions; and 

5 (3) encourages other State legislatures to recog6 nize the differences between children and adult of7 fenders and eliminate extreme sentences, like life 

8 without parole, for children convicted of serious 

9 crimes. 

Æ 


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