H.R. 5067: Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-04-26 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-04-26 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lewis, John [D-GA-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. 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

Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act of 2016

Plain summary

Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act of 2016 This bill permanently reauthorizes the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007 (Emmett Till Act) and expands the responsibilities of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to include the investigation and prosecution of criminal civil rights statutes violations that resulted in a death, regardless of when the violations occurred. (Currently, the Emmett Till Act is scheduled to expire at the end of FY2017 and such investigations are limited to violations that occurred before 1970.) The bill expresses the sense of Congress that all authorities with jurisdiction should: (1) coordinate information sharing; (2) hold accountable individuals who were perpetrators of, or accomplices in, unsolved civil rights murders; and (3) comply with Freedom of Information Act requests. In investigating a complaint, DOJ may coordinate activities with entities that DOJ determines to be appropriate. DOJ shall reopen and review cases closed without an in-person investigation conducted by DOJ or the FBI. DOJ must establish a task force to conduct a thorough investigation of Emmett Till Act cases. In an annual report to Congress, DOJ must indicate: (1) the number of cases referred by a civil rights organization, an institution of higher education, or a state or local law enforcement agency; (2) the number of such cases that resulted in federal charges; (3) the date any such charges were filed; (4) whether DOJ has declined to prosecute or participate in an investigation of a referred case; and (5) any activity on reopened cases. DOJ may award grants to civil rights organizations, institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities for expenses associated with investigating offenses under the Emmett Till Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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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. Lewis, John [D-GA-5] · 78 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Gwen Moore (D-WI), André Carson (D-IN), Adam Smith (D-WA), Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI), John B. Larson (D-CT), James E. Clyburn (D-SC), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-NY), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Al Green (D-TX), Joyce Beatty (D-OH) and 18 more.

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.
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).
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 (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5067.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5067 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114