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H.R. 4709: FAMILIES Act

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H.R. 4709: FAMILIES Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-07-27 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-07-27 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. 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

FAMILIES Act

Plain summary

Finding Alternatives to Mass Incarceration: Lives Improved by Ending Separation Act of 2021 or the FAMILIES Act This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to divert certain defendants who are parents or caregivers away from prison and probation and into a comprehensive support services program. At the federal level, the bill establishes and provides funds for the comprehensive support services program, or FAMILIES Program. The bill authorizes federal courts to sentence a parent or caregiver to participation in the FAMILIES Program as a condition of supervised release or instead of probation or prison. At the state level, the bill funds grants for states to replicate successful state parenting sentencing alternatives programs that have the potential to keep parents out of prison. The bill also provides funds for a study on the effects of incarceration on children of incarcerated parents and for training district court judges to carry out the FAMILIES Program.

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

FAMILIES 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. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] reported raising $2.9 million (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).
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

Record fed-us-cong117-hr4709 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117