H.R. 4002: Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-11-16 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 699.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-11-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 699. 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

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the federal criminal code to establish a default mens rea standard (i.e., a state of mind requirement) for a federal criminal offense whose defining statute does not specify a required state of mind. A conviction for such federal criminal offense requires proof that a defendant acted knowingly. Additionally, if the offense consists of conduct that a reasonable person would not know or have reason to believe was unlawful, then a conviction requires proof that the defendant knew or had reason to believe such conduct was unlawful. The bill establishes definitions for the terms "state" and "serious bodily injury" that are generally applicable with respect to federal criminal law. It eliminates various repeated definitions of such terms. (Sec. 5) It eliminates references to the Canal Zone (i.e., the Panama Canal Zone). (Sec. 6) The bill amends the federal judicial code to require the Department of Justice to develop and update, index, and publish an inventory of all federal criminal offenses, including violations of agency rules or regulations that constitute or define federal criminal offenses.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House without amendment), 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

Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House without amendment)

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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: Rep. Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 4002, Criminal Code Improvement Act of 2015 (2016-06-27)

Cosponsors on this site

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 (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
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.
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 House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr4002.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr4002 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114