IB
Union Calendar No. 19
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 924
[Report No. 105–28]
To amend title 18, United States Code, to give further assurance to the
right of victims of crime to attend and observe the trials of those
accused of the crime.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 5, 1997
Mr. MCCOLLUM (for himself, Mr. SCHUMER, and Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary
MARCH 17, 1997
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to give further
assurance to the right of victims of crime to attend
and observe the trials of those accused of the crime.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Victim Allocution Clar-
ification Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. RIGHTS OF VICTIMS TO ATTEND AND OBSERVE
TRIAL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 223 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing:
‘‘§ 3510. Rights of victims to attend and observe trial
‘‘A United States district court shall not order any
victim of an offense excluded from the trial of a defendant
accused of that offense because such victim may or will—
‘‘(1) exercise the right to make a statement or
present any information in relation to the sentence
at the imposition of sentence; or
‘‘(2) testify as to the effect of the offense on
the victim and the victim’s family.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of chapter 223 of title 18, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
item:
‘‘3510. Rights of victims to attend and observe trial.’’.
(c) EFFECT ON PENDING CASES.—The amendments
made by this section shall apply in cases pending on the
date of the enactment of this Act.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Victim Allocution Clari-
fication Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. RIGHTS OF VICTIMS TO ATTEND AND OBSERVE
TRIAL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 223 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘§ 3510. Rights of victims to attend and observe trial
‘‘A United States district court shall not order any vic-
tim of an offense excluded from the trial of a defendant ac-
cused of that offense because such victim may or will, dur-
ing the sentencing hearing—
‘‘(1) exercise the right to make a statement or
present any information in relation to the sentence at
the imposition of sentence; or
‘‘(2) testify as to the effect of the offense on the
victim and the victim’s family.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at
the beginning of chapter 223 of title 18, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
‘‘3510. Rights of victims to attend and observe trial.’’.
(c) EFFECT ON PENDING CASES.—The amendments
made by this section shall apply in cases pending on the
date of the enactment of this Act.
Union Calendar No. 19
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 924
[Report No. 105–28]
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to give fur-
ther assurance to the right of victims of crime to
attend and observe the trials of those accused of
the crime.
MARCH 17, 1997
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Commit-
tee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and
ordered to be printed