H.R. 1694: Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-09 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-09 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. 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

Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act

Plain summary

Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act This bill restricts the Department of Defense (DOD) from transferring certain surplus military property to federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies. Specifically, DOD may not transfer to such agencies specified property such as controlled firearms, ammunition, grenade launchers, explosives, certain vehicles or trucks, armored or weaponized drones, certain controlled aircraft, silencers, or long-range acoustic devices. DOD may waive this limitation and transfer certain vehicles or trucks if DOD determines that the transfer is necessary for disaster or rescue purposes or for another purpose where life and public safety are at risk. As a condition for a transfer of allowable property, DOD must require the federal or state agency that receives the property to return the property if the agency is investigated by the Department of Justice for civil liberties violations or is otherwise found to have engaged in widespread abuses of civil liberties. DOD must also periodically submit certain transfer-related information and certifications to Congress. Furthermore, as a condition for transfer, the recipient must receive the approval of its local governing body, provide specified notice to the local community, and submit specified information and certifications to DOD. A federal or state agency that receives controlled property under such a transfer may never take ownership of the property. The bill also eliminates the requirement for DOD to give preference to transfers of property that will be used in counter-drug, counterterrorism, disaster-related emergency preparedness, or border security activities.

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.

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

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] · 83 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Al Green (D-TX), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Grace Meng (D-NY) and 23 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4] reported raising $514,399 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)

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).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

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-117hr1694.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr1694 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117