S. 2679: Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act

109th Congress · introduced 2006-04-27 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 579.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-04-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Talent, Jim [R-MO] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 579. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act

Plain summary

Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act - (Sec. 4) Establishes an Unsolved Civil Rights Era Crimes Unit in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and an Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Investigative Office in the Civil Rights Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Requires the Deputy of the Section and the Deputy Investigator of the Office to be responsible for investigating violations of criminal civil rights statutes in which the complaint alleges that such a violation occurred not later than December 31, 1969, and resulted in a death. Requires the Deputy Investigator to: (1) determine whether the subject of a complaint has violated a criminal rights statute; and (2) refer such determination and complaint to the Deputy, who shall be responsible for prosecuting violations. Requires the Deputy to: (1) consult with state or local officials regarding the appropriate venue for a case where there has been a violation of a criminal civil rights statute that is also a violation of a state or local law; and (2) refer cases to the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division if the Deputy determines that the subject of the complaint has violated a criminal civil rights statute but the violation did not occur later than December 31, 1969, and result in a death. Requires the Deputy, annually, to study and report to Congress on the cases under the jurisdiction of the Deputy or the Chief Investigator of the Unit for which there is sufficient evidence and for which there is insufficient evidence to prosecute violations of criminal civil rights statutes. Gives the FBI the discretion to reallocate investigative personnel to jurisdictions to carry out the goals of this Act. (Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations for FY2007-FY2016. Authorizes appropriations to the Community Relations Service of DOJ to provide technical assistance by bringing together law enforcement agencies and communities in the investigation of criminal civil rights statutes. (Sec. 7) Terminates the Act at the end of FY2016. (Sec. 8) Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to allow Inspectors General to authorize staff to assist the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by conducting reviews of inactive case files to develop recommendations for further investigations. Prohibits an Inspector General from permitting staff to engage in such activities if they will interfere with the Inspector General's duties.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Talent, Jim [R-MO] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 2679, Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act (2006-08-21); CBO cost estimate: S. 2679, Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act (2006-08-21)

Cosponsors on this site

John Cornyn (R-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109s2679.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/s>

Record fed-us-cong109-s2679 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109