HR 924 105th Congress House

Victim Rights Clarification Act of 1997

Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to give further assurance to the right of victims of crime to attend and observe the trials of those accused of the crime.

Introduced: March 5, 1997 See on congress.gov

Crime and Law Enforcement Capital punishmentDistrict courtsEvidence (Law)Exclusionary rule (Evidence)

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

JuriesLawSentences (Criminal procedure)TrialsVictims of crimesWitnesses

Everywhere this bill has been 23 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Mar 19, 1997

Became Public Law No: 105-6.

Mar 19, 1997

Presented to President.

Mar 19, 1997

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Mar 19, 1997

Signed by President.

Mar 19, 1997

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2507-2509)

Mar 19, 1997

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S2507-2509)

Mar 18, 1997

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Mar 18, 1997

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 418 - 9 (Roll no. 52).

Mar 18, 1997

At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Scott objected to the Yea - Nay vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

Mar 18, 1997

Considered as unfinished business.

Mar 18, 1997

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.

Mar 18, 1997

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1048-1052, H1067-1068)

Mar 18, 1997

Mr. McCollum moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

Mar 18, 1997

Received in the Senate, read twice.

Mar 17, 1997

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 19.

Mar 17, 1997

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 105-28.

Mar 12, 1997

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Mar 12, 1997

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Mar 6, 1997

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

Mar 6, 1997

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Mar 6, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.

Mar 5, 1997

Introduced in House

Mar 5, 1997

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Mar 18, 1997	House · vote #52	On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended	Passed	418–9	See who voted →

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Latest action March 19, 1997

Became Public Law No: 105-6.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Victim Allocution Clarification Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit a United States district court from ordering any victim of an offense excluded from the trial of a defendant accused of that offense because such victim may or will: (1) exercise the right to make a statement or present any information in relation to the sentence at the imposition of sentence; or (2) testify as to the effect of the offense on the victim and the victim's family.

Makes this Act applicable in cases pending on the date of this Act's enactment.

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 6 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF
Public Law Formatted Text PDF
Received in Senate Formatted Text PDF
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 2

Lucas, Frank D.

Oklahoma · Mar 5, 1997

Schumer, Charles E.

New York · Mar 5, 1997

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 924: Victim Rights Clarification Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-924/

MLA

"H.R. 924: Victim Rights Clarification Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-924/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 924, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-924/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 924: Victim Rights Clarification Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-924/)