I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6471 
To authorize the court to impose a sentence that is below the minimum 
statutory sentence in the case of a victim offender. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 4, 2025 
Mr. MORELLE (for himself and Mrs. DINGELL) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To authorize the court to impose a sentence that is below 
the minimum statutory sentence in the case of a victim 
offender. 
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 ‘‘Justice in Sentencing 
for Survivors Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Although the United States has less than 5 
percent of the world’s population, the United States 
has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
world, with over 1,900,000 people incarcerated in 
state and Federal prisons, local jails, juvenile correc-
tional facilities, immigration detention facilities, and 
jails operated by Tribal authorities. 
(2) Between 1980 and 2024, the number of in-
carcerated women increased by more than 625 per-
cent, rising from a total of 26,326 in 1980 to 
190,600 in 2024. 
(3) More than 77 million people in the United 
States have a criminal record, creating barriers to 
housing, jobs, healthcare, and food assistance, 
among many other collateral consequences. 
(4) Survivors of abuse and sex trafficking are 
often punished by the United States legal system. 
(5) One study found, of incarcerated women— 
(A) 86 percent report having experienced 
sexual violence in their lifetime; 
(B) 77 percent report partner violence; and 
(C) 60 percent report caregiver violence. 
(6) Rates of childhood and adult trauma are 
notably elevated among incarcerated men. 
SEC. 3. SENTENCING OFFENDERS WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF 
ABUSE. 
(a) SENTENCING
VICTIM
OFFENDERS.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, in the case of a victim 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
offender, the court shall have the authority to impose a 
sentence that is below the minimum sentence established 
by statute in consideration of any sexual assault, stalking, 
dating violence, domestic violence, or severe forms of traf-
ficking in persons experienced by the victim offender. 
(b) IMPOSING ALTERNATIVE SENTENCE.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the court shall have 
the authority to impose a sentence of probation, commu-
nity confinement or a combination thereof, in consider-
ation of any sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, do-
mestic violence, or severe forms of trafficking in persons 
experienced by the victim offender. 
(c) CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS.—A victim offender 
may be eligible for the imposition of a sentence pursuant 
to subsection (a) or an alternative sentence pursuant to 
subsection (b) even if— 
(1) any sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, 
domestic violence, or severe forms of trafficking in 
persons experienced by victim offender— 
(A) did not result in physical injury; 
(B) was not experienced for a long period 
of time; or 
(C) did not occur contemporaneously with 
the commission of the offense; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(2) the offense was committed against someone 
other than the perpetrator of the sexual assault, 
stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or severe 
forms of trafficking in persons experienced by the 
victim offender. 
(d) CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN EVIDENCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The victim offender’s ability 
or failure to offer evidence to the court prior to sen-
tencing with respect to any sexual assault, stalking, 
dating violence, domestic violence, or severe forms of 
trafficking in persons experienced by the victim of-
fender shall not determine their eligibility for the im-
position of a sentence pursuant to subsection (a) or 
an alternative sentence pursuant to subsection (b). 
(2) AFFIDAVIT.—In determining whether relief 
is appropriate under subsection (a) or (b), the court 
may consider an affidavit that demonstrates, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the victim of-
fender has experienced physical, emotional, sexual, 
or psychological abuse, trauma, or neglect. 
(e) APPLICABILITY.— 
(1) PENDING CASES.—This Act shall apply to 
any sentence imposed on, or after the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(2) PAST CASES.—In the case of a victim of-
fender who, before the date of enactment of this Act, 
was convicted or sentenced for a Federal offense, the 
sentencing court may, on motion of the victim of-
fender, the Bureau of Prisons, the attorney for the 
Government, or on its own motion, impose a sen-
tence in accordance with subsections (a) or (b). 
(f) DIRECTIVE
TO UNITED STATES SENTENCING 
COMMISSION.—Pursuant to its authority under section 
994(p) of title 28, United States Code, the United States 
Sentencing Commission shall review and amend the Fed-
eral sentencing guidelines and the policy statements of the 
Commission, as appropriate, to include as a factor to be 
considered in imposing a sentence any sexual assault, 
stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or severe 
forms of trafficking in persons experienced by a victim of-
fender. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) DATING VIOLENCE.—The term ‘‘dating vio-
lence’’ means violence committed by a person— 
(A) who is or has been in a social relation-
ship of a romantic or intimate nature with the 
victim; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(B) where the existence of such a relation-
ship shall be determined based on a consider-
ation of the following factors: 
(i) The length of the relationship. 
(ii) The type of relationship. 
(iii) The frequency of interaction be-
tween the persons involved in the relation-
ship. 
(2) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.—The term ‘‘domestic 
violence’’ includes felony or misdemeanor crimes 
committed by a current or former spouse or intimate 
partner of the victim under the family or domestic 
violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant fund-
ing and, in the case of victim services, includes the 
use or attempted use of physical abuse or sexual 
abuse, or a pattern of any other coercive behavior 
committed, enabled, or solicited to gain or maintain 
power and control over a victim, including verbal, 
psychological, economic, or technological abuse that 
may or may not constitute criminal behavior, by a 
person who— 
(A) is a current or former spouse or inti-
mate partner of the victim, or person similarly 
situated to a spouse of the victim; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(B) is cohabitating, or has cohabitated, 
with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner; 
(C) shares a child in common with the vic-
tim; or 
(D) commits acts against a youth or adult 
victim who is protected from those acts under 
the family or domestic violence laws of the ju-
risdiction. 
(3) SEX
OFFENSE.—The term ‘‘sex offense’’ 
shall have the meaning given such term in section 
111 of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety 
Act of 2006 (34 U.S.C. 20911). 
(4) SEXUAL ASSAULT.—The term ‘‘sexual as-
sault’’ means any nonconsensual sexual act pro-
scribed by Federal, tribal, or State law, including 
when the victim lacks capacity to consent. 
(5) SEVERE FORMS OF TRAFFICKING IN PER-
SONS.—The term ‘‘severe forms of trafficking in 
persons’’ shall have the meaning given such term in 
section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102). 
(6) STALKING.—The term ‘‘stalking’’ means 
engaging in a course of conduct directed at a spe-
cific person that would cause a reasonable person 
to— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(A) fear for his or her safety or the safety 
of others; or 
(B) suffer substantial emotional distress. 
(7) VICTIM OFFENDER.—The term ‘‘victim of-
fender’’ includes an individual— 
(A) who has experienced sexual assault, 
stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or 
severe forms of trafficking in persons; 
(B) for whom such abuse was a significant 
contributing factor in the offender’s criminal 
behavior; and 
(C) who has not been convicted of a sex of-
fense. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:53 Dec 26, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6471.IH
H6471
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS