I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4923 
To abolish the death penalty under Federal law. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 9, 2006 
Mr. KUCINICH (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. CAPUANO, 
Ms. CARSON, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. CONYERS, 
Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. FARR, Mr. 
FILNER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. 
HINCHEY, Mr. HONDA, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. 
KILDEE, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. LEE, Mr. 
LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. 
MEEKS of New York, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. 
OLVER, Mr. OWENS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. RUSH, Mr. SABO, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. STARK, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. WATERS, Ms. 
WATSON, Mr. WATT, and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To abolish the death penalty under Federal law. 
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 ‘‘Federal Death Penalty 
Abolition Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REPEAL OF FEDERAL LAWS PROVIDING FOR THE 
DEATH PENALTY. 
(a) HOMICIDE-RELATED OFFENSES.— 
(1) MURDER RELATED TO THE SMUGGLING OF 
ALIENS.—Section 274(a)(1)(B)(iv) of the Immigra-
tion 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1324(a)(1)(B)(iv)) is amended by striking ‘‘punished 
by death or’’. 
(2) DESTRUCTION OF AIRCRAFT, MOTOR VEHI-
CLES, 
OR
RELATED
FACILITIES
RESULTING
IN 
DEATH.—Section 34 of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘to the death penalty or’’. 
(3) MURDER COMMITTED DURING A DRUG-RE-
LATED
DRIVE-BY
SHOOTING.—Section 36(b)(2)(A) 
of title 18, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘death or’’. 
(4) MURDER COMMITTED AT AN AIRPORT SERV-
ING
INTERNATIONAL
CIVIL
AVIATION.—Section 
37(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended, 
in the matter following paragraph (2), by striking 
‘‘punished by death or’’. 
(5) CIVIL
RIGHTS
OFFENSES
RESULTING
IN 
DEATH.—Chapter 13 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in section 241, by striking ‘‘, or may 
be sentenced to death’’; 
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(B) in section 242, by striking ‘‘, or may 
be sentenced to death’’; 
(C) in section 245(b), by striking ‘‘, or 
may be sentenced to death’’; and 
(D) in section 247(d)(1), by striking ‘‘, or 
may be sentenced to death’’. 
(6) MURDER OF A MEMBER OF CONGRESS, AN 
IMPORTANT EXECUTIVE OFFICIAL, OR A SUPREME 
COURT JUSTICE.—Section 351 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘death 
or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d)(2), by striking 
‘‘death or’’. 
(7) DEATH
RESULTING
FROM
OFFENSES
IN-
VOLVING
TRANSPORTATION
OF
EXPLOSIVES, DE-
STRUCTION
OF
GOVERNMENT
PROPERTY, OR
DE-
STRUCTION OF PROPERTY RELATED TO FOREIGN OR 
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.—Section 844 of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘or to 
the death penalty’’; 
(B) in subsection (f)(3), by striking ‘‘sub-
ject to the death penalty, or’’; 
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(C) in subsection (i), by striking ‘‘or to the 
death penalty’’; and 
(D) in subsection (n), by striking ‘‘(other 
than the penalty of death)’’. 
(8) MURDER COMMITTED BY USE OF A FIRE-
ARM DURING COMMISSION OF A CRIME OF VIOLENCE 
OR A DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME.—Section 924(j)(1) 
of title 18, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘by death or’’. 
(9) GENOCIDE.—Section 1091(b)(1) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘death 
or’’. 
(10) 
FIRST
DEGREE
MURDER.—Section 
1111(b) of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘by death or’’. 
(11) MURDER BY A FEDERAL PRISONER.—Sec-
tion 1118 of title 18, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘by 
death or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), in the third undesig-
nated paragraph— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or’’ before ‘‘an inde-
terminate’’; and 
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(ii) by striking ‘‘, or an unexecuted 
sentence of death’’. 
(12) MURDER OF A STATE OR LOCAL LAW EN-
FORCEMENT OFFICIAL OR OTHER PERSON AIDING IN 
A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION; MURDER OF A STATE 
CORRECTIONAL OFFICER.—Section 1121 of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘by sen-
tence of death or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘or 
death’’. 
(13) MURDER DURING A KIDNAPING.—Section 
1201(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘death or’’. 
(14) MURDER DURING A HOSTAGE-TAKING.— 
Section 1203(a) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘death or’’. 
(15) MURDER
WITH
THE
INTENT
OF
PRE-
VENTING TESTIMONY BY A WITNESS, VICTIM, OR IN-
FORMANT.—Section 1512(a)(2)(A) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the 
death penalty or’’. 
(16) MAILING OF INJURIOUS ARTICLES WITH 
INTENT TO KILL OR RESULTING IN DEATH.—Section 
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1716(i) of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘to the death penalty or’’. 
(17) ASSASSINATION OR KIDNAPING RESULTING 
IN THE DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT OR VICE PRESI-
DENT.—Section 1751 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘death 
or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (d)(2), by striking 
‘‘death or’’. 
(18) MURDER FOR HIRE.—Section 1958(a) of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking 
‘‘death or’’. 
(19) MURDER INVOLVED IN A RACKETEERING 
OFFENSE.—Section 1959(a)(1) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘death or’’. 
(20) WILLFUL WRECKING OF A TRAIN RESULT-
ING IN DEATH.—Section 1992(b) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘to the death 
penalty or’’. 
(21) BANK
ROBBERY-RELATED
MURDER
OR 
KIDNAPING.—Section 2113(e) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘death or’’. 
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(22) MURDER RELATED TO A CARJACKING.— 
Section 2119(3) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘, or sentenced to death’’. 
(23) MURDER
RELATED
TO
AGGRAVATED 
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.—Section 2241(c) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘unless 
the death penalty is imposed,’’. 
(24) MURDER RELATED TO SEXUAL ABUSE.— 
Section 2245 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘punished by death or’’. 
(25) MURDER RELATED TO SEXUAL EXPLOI-
TATION OF CHILDREN.—Section 2251(d) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘pun-
ished by death or’’. 
(26) MURDER
COMMITTED
DURING
AN
OF-
FENSE
AGAINST
MARITIME
NAVIGATION.—Section 
2280(a)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘punished by death or’’. 
(27) MURDER
COMMITTED
DURING
AN
OF-
FENSE AGAINST A MARITIME FIXED PLATFORM.— 
Section 2281(a)(1) of title 18, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘punished by death or’’. 
(28) TERRORIST MURDER OF A UNITED STATES 
NATIONAL
IN
ANOTHER
COUNTRY.—Section 
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2332(a)(1) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘death or’’. 
(29) MURDER BY THE USE OF A WEAPON OF 
MASS
DESTRUCTION.—Section 2332a of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘pun-
ished by death or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘by 
death, or’’. 
(30) MURDER BY ACT OF TERRORISM TRAN-
SCENDING
NATIONAL
BOUNDARIES.—Section 
2332b(c)(1)(A) of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘by death, or’’. 
(31) MURDER
INVOLVING
TORTURE.—Section 
2340A(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘punished by death or’’. 
(32) MURDER
RELATED
TO
A
CONTINUING 
CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE OR RELATED MURDER OF A 
FEDERAL, STATE, OR
LOCAL
LAW
ENFORCEMENT 
OFFICER.—Section 408 of the Controlled Substances 
Act (21 U.S.C. 848) is amended— 
(A) in each of subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
of subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘, or may be 
sentenced to death’’; 
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(B) by striking subsections (g) and (h) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(g) [Reserved.] 
‘‘(h) [Reserved.]’’; 
(C) in subsection (j), by striking ‘‘and as 
to appropriateness in that case of imposing a 
sentence of death’’; 
(D) in subsection (k), by striking ‘‘, other 
than death,’’ and all that follows before the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘authorized by 
law’’; and 
(E) by striking subsections (l) and (m) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(l) [Reserved.] 
‘‘(m) [Reserved.]’’. 
(33) DEATH RESULTING FROM AIRCRAFT HI-
JACKING.—Section 46502 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘put 
to death or’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking 
‘‘put to death or’’. 
(b) NON-HOMICIDE RELATED OFFENSES.— 
(1) ESPIONAGE.—Section 794(a) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘pun-
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ished by death or’’ and all that follows before the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘imprisoned for any term of years 
or for life’’. 
(2) TREASON.—Section 2381 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘shall suffer 
death, or’’. 
(c) REPEAL OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURES RELATING 
TO IMPOSITION OF DEATH SENTENCE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 228 of title 18, 
United States Code, is repealed. 
(2) TECHNICAL
AND
CONFORMING
AMEND-
MENT.—The table of chapters for part II of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item 
relating to chapter 228. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON IMPOSITION OF DEATH SEN-
TENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, no person may be sentenced to death or put 
to death on or after the date of enactment of this Act 
for any violation of Federal law. 
(b) PERSONS SENTENCED BEFORE DATE OF ENACT-
MENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any 
person sentenced to death before the date of enactment 
of this Act for any violation of Federal law shall serve 
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a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of 
parole. 
Æ 
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