PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 916: John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 916: John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007

110th Congress · introduced 2007-02-08 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 149.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-02-08 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 347 (2007): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR916 (2007-05-15), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 149. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on May 14, 2007. The summary of that version is repeated here.) John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to add a program for student loan repayment for prosecutors and public defenders. Defines "prosecutor" as a full-time state or local agency employee who: (1) is continually licensed to practice law; and (2) prosecutes criminal or juvenile delinquency cases, including an employee who supervises, educates, or trains other attorneys prosecuting such cases. Defines "public defender" as a licensed attorney who is a full-time state or local agency employee or a full-time employee of a nonprofit organization who provides legal representation to indigent persons in criminal or juvenile delinquency cases, including an attorney who supervises, educates, or trains other attorneys to provide such representation. Includes in such definition a full-time federal defender attorney. Directs the Attorney General to establish a program to assume the obligation to repay the student loans of any borrowers who are employed as prosecutors or public defenders and who are not in default on their loans. Sets forth requirements for such program, including that: (1) the borrower will remain employed as a prosecutor or public defender for not less than three years; and (2) the borrower will repay to the Attorney General any repayment benefits received if the borrower is fired from employment for misconduct or voluntarily separates from employment. Limits the amount payable under such program for any borrower to $10,000 per year andan aggregate total of $60,000. Authorizes the Attorney General to enter into subsequent agreements with a borrower for another three-year period or a lesser period. Requires the Attorney General to give priority in granting repayment benefits to borrowers who have the least ability to repay their loans. Authorizes the Attorney General to issue regulations to carry out this Act. Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to report to Congress on the cost of loan repayment program under this Act and the impact of such program on the hiring and retention of prosecutors and public defenders. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the impact of law school accreditation requirements and other factors on law school costs and access, including the impact of such requirements on racial and ethnic minorities. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2013.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13] · 66 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 916, John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007 (2007-05-07); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 916, John R. Justice Prosecutors and Defenders Incentive Act of 2007 (2007-05-07)

Cosponsors on this site

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 6 more.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Obligation
A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr916 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110