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 pa-
role sentences on children; 
Whereas the United States is the only United Nations mem-
ber 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 sen-
tences from being imposed on children under 18 years of 
age; 
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Whereas a life without the possibility of release or parole sen-
tence 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 ac-
tions, 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 dif-
ferent from adults by the limitations society places upon 
them; 
Whereas children are not allowed to enter into contracts, pur-
chase 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, Ken-
tucky, Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Dela-
ware, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, West Vir-
ginia, 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. Sim-
mons struck down the death penalty for children under 
18 years of age; 
Whereas, 7 years ago, the Supreme Court in Graham v. Flor-
ida struck down the use of life without the possibility of 
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release or parole sentences for non-homicide crimes com-
mitted by children under 18 years of age; 
Whereas, 5 years ago, the Supreme Court in Miller v. Ala-
bama struck down the use of mandatory life without pa-
role 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 vio-
lated the 8th Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and un-
usual punishment even for homicide offenses, unless it 
can be shown that a child is irreparably corrupt or be-
yond rehabilitation which should be exceptionally rare 
and uncommon: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) applauds and celebrates the anniversaries of 
the decisions by the Roper, Graham, Miller, and 
Montgomery courts for striking down the death pen-
alty and use of life without parole sentences for non- 
homicide offenses and mandatory life without parole 
sentences for children in the United States; 
(2) applauds and celebrates the States of 
Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Kentucky, Kansas, Colo-
rado, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii, Delaware, Massa-
chusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, West Virginia, 
Utah, South Dakota, Iowa, Arkansas, California, 
Florida, and Washington, and the District of Colum-
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bia, for recent legislative changes that eliminated life 
without the possibility of release or parole sentences 
for children convicted of serious crimes in their ju-
risdictions; and 
(3) encourages other State legislatures to recog-
nize the differences between children and adult of-
fenders and eliminate extreme sentences, like life 
without parole, for children convicted of serious 
crimes. 
Æ 
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