Public Corruption Prosecution Improvements Act

A bill to help Federal prosecutors and investigators combat public corruption by strengthening and clarifying the law.

12/10/2007--Reported to Senate amended. Public Corruption Prosecution Improvements Act of 2007 - Amends the federal criminal code to revise and expand prohibitions against bribery, theft of public money, and other public corruption offenses.
(Sec. 2) Establishes a six-year limitation period for the prosecution of public corruption crimes involving bribery, extortion, theft of government property, mail fraud, and racketeering.
(Sec. 3) Expands mail and wire fraud statutes to cover offenses involving any other thing of value (e.g., intangible rights and licenses).
(Sec. 4) Modifies general venue rules for criminal prosecutions to allow prosecutions in any district in which an act in furtherance of an offense is committed.

(Sec. 5) Reduces from $5,000 to $1,000 the threshold amount for theft or bribery involving federally-assisted programs and increases the maximum prison term for such offenses from 10 to 15 years.
(Sec. 6) Increases the maximum term of imprisonment for theft and embezzlement of federal money, property, or records from 10 to 15 years.
(Sec. 7) Increases the maximum term of imprisonment for bribery offenses from 15 to 20 years.
(Sec. 8) Increases to 10 years the maximum term of imprisonment for:
(1) solicitation by federal officers and employees of political contributions from other federal officers and employees;
(2) promise of employment made possible by an act of Congress for political activity;
(3) deprivation of such employment for political activity;
(4) intimidation to secure political contributions;
(5) solicitation and acceptance of contributions in federal offices; and
(6) coercion of political activity by federal employees.
(Sec. 9) Applies the prohibition against embezzlement or theft of federal money or property to government officials and employees of the District of Columbia.

(Sec. 10) Includes embezzlement or theft of government money or property as predicates for racketeering prosecutions and wiretaps.
(Sec. 12) Modifies elements relating to the crime of bribery to:
(1) prohibit gratuities to a public official for or because of such official's position not otherwise permitted by law;
(2) expand the definition of "official act" to include any conduct that falls within the range of official duty of a public official;
(3) include a course of conduct involving multiple gifts, offers or promises designed to influence a public official.

(Sec. 15) Expands the venue for perjury and obstruction of justice offenses to allow prosecutions in districts in which the proceeding affected by the perjury or obstruction takes place.

(Sec. 16) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2011 for additional Department of Justice (DOJ) personnel to investigate and prosecute public corruption offenses.
(Sec. 17) Directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and amend its guidelines and policy statements relating to public corruption offenses to reflect the increased penalties for such offenses set forth in this Act.


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Sponsor

• Sen. Patrick Leahy [D, VT]
• and 2 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. John Cornyn [R, TX]
  • Sen. Jefferson Sessions [R, AL]
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Committees

• Senate Judiciary

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.1946

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
August 02, 2007

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All Bill Actions

• Added to calendar on Dec 10, 2007: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 527..
• Dec 10, 2007: Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-239.
• Nov 01, 2007: Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
• Nov 01, 2007: Committee on the Judiciary. Date of scheduled consideration. SD-226. 10:00 a.m.
• Oct 25, 2007: Committee on the Judiciary. Date of scheduled consideration. SD-226. 10:00 a.m.
• Aug 02, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
• Aug 02, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10795-10796)
• Introduced on Aug 02, 2007.

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Related Bills:

• S.118
• H.R.1872

Related Issue Areas:

• Criminal justice
• Administrative procedure
• Bribery
• Budgets
• 32 more
• Campaign funds
• Communications
• Corruption in politics
• Criminal investigation
• Department of Justice
• District of Columbia
• Elections
• Electronic surveillance
• Embezzlement
• Executive departments
• Extortion
• Federal aid programs
• Federal employees
• Federal officials
• Fraud
• Government attorneys
• Government employees
• Government employees' political activities
• Jurisdiction
• Larceny
• Law
• Limitation of actions
• Misconduct in office
• Obstruction of justice
• Organized crime
• Perjury
• Politics and government
• Postal service
• Prosecution
• Public prosecutors
• Sentencing guidelines
• U.S. Sentencing Commission

Data from the Congressional Research Service

In the News

November 01, 2007 Cornyn bill seeks crack down on corruption

The Public Corruption Prosecution Improvements Act, S.1946, now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Cornyn is a member of the Judiciary ...

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Source: El Paso Times, TX

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Blog Coverage

November 14, 2007 S. 1946, Public Corruption Prosecution Improvements Act

Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on November 1, 2007.

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Source: cbo's Latest 10 Documents

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November 02, 2007 Cornyn Bill to Crack Down on Public Corruption Passes Judiciary ...

The Public Corruption Prosecution Improvements Act, S.1946, now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Cornyn is a member of the Judiciary Committee and Vice Chairman of the Ethics Committee.

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Source: Texas Insider

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November 01, 2007 Cornyn Bill to Crack Down On Public Corruption Passes Judiciary ...

The Public Corruption Prosecution Improvements Act, S.1946, now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Cornyn is a member of the Judiciary Committee and Vice Chairman of the Ethics Committee. "Public corruption is not a ...

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Source: United States Senator John Cornyn, Texas

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