H.R. 2159: Count the Crimes to Cut Act
Sponsor
Chip Roy
Republican · TX-21
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Dec 2, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Why it matters
This bill forces the government to reveal exactly how many ways feds can put you in jail.
The U.S. criminal code is sprawling, especially after decades of new laws and buried regulations that can land people in federal court. Many lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, say Americans can't possibly know all the traps set by these laws—and it's hard to debate reforms if no one knows the real scope.
HR 2159 gives the Attorney General one year to deliver Congress a full, detailed list of every federal law and regulation that can be prosecuted as a crime. The report has to lay out the legal elements, penalties, and even how often each law is used in federal court over the past 15 years.
Critics argue it shouldn't take a special act of Congress just to find out how many federal crimes exist. Supporters claim this is a first step to rolling back outdated or overly broad laws that can ruin lives, often for technical violations most people never even knew were illegal. The bill has rare bipartisan support—co-sponsored by both progressive and conservative lawmakers.
What does H.R. 2159 do?
Full Crime List Required
Orders the Attorney General to create a complete list of all federal crimes defined in U.S. law.
Report Elements and Penalties
Mandates that every crime is listed with its legal definition and the penalties people face for breaking it.
Covers Statutes and Regulations
Counts not just crimes created by Congress, but also those buried inside federal agency rules.
Tracks Prosecution History
Requires data on how often each crime has actually been prosecuted in the last 15 years.
Deadline for Delivery
Justice Department has one year to get the report to Congress after the bill passes.
Who benefits from H.R. 2159?
Everyday Americans
Raises awareness of obscure crimes people could be charged with, making the law more understandable.
Criminal Justice Reformers
Gives reform advocates the data they need to push for cleaner, simpler, fairer laws.
Lawmakers
Arms Congress with facts to debate which crimes are necessary or unnecessary.
Defense Lawyers
Helps attorneys better understand—and challenge—the scope of federal cases against their clients.
Who is affected by H.R. 2159?
Department of Justice
DOJ has to compile and publish an unprecedented, massive report.
Federal Agencies
Agencies must review which of their rules can result in criminal charges.
Individuals Facing Federal Charges
Could see more argument in court over whether some crimes should exist at all.
Congressional Committees
Must sift through a huge new dataset when evaluating future criminal justice bills.
H.R. 2159 Common Questions
How long would the DOJ have to count all federal crimes under HR 2159?
The Attorney General would have 1 year after enactment to report all federal criminal statutory offenses to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, according to HR 2159 Section 2(b).
How many years of federal prosecution data would the Count the Crimes to Cut Act require?
Under the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, the report must include annual DOJ prosecution data for each offense covering the 15 years before enactment (Section 2(b)).
Does HR 2159 require a public online list of federal crimes?
Yes. Under the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, the Attorney General must create a publicly accessible DOJ website index of criminal statutory offenses within 2 years of enactment (Section 2(d)).
What information would the federal crime report have to include for each offense?
Under the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, each listed offense must include its elements, potential criminal penalty, annual prosecution data, and mens rea requirement (Section 2(b)).
Does HR 2159 make agencies publish their own criminal regulation indexes online?
Yes. According to HR 2159 Section 2(d), agency heads must create publicly accessible indexes of criminal regulatory offenses on their own websites within 2 years.
Which federal agencies would have to report criminal regulatory offenses under HR 2159?
The bill applies to 35 agencies and bodies, including EPA, SEC, FCC, Treasury, DHS, HHS, DOT, USDA, HUD, and the FTC, under HR 2159 Section 2(c)(2).
Does the Count the Crimes to Cut Act require mens rea to be listed for every federal crime?
Yes. Under the Count the Crimes to Cut Act, both statutory and regulatory offense reports must state the mens rea requirement for each offense (Section 2(b) and 2(c)).
Would HR 2159 create new funding for counting federal crimes?
No. According to HR 2159 Section 2(e), nothing in the Act may be read to require or authorize appropriations.
Does HR 2159 require agencies to report referrals to DOJ, not just prosecutions?
Yes. For criminal regulatory offenses, the Count the Crimes to Cut Act requires agencies to report annual violations referred to DOJ for prosecution over the prior 15 years (Section 2(c)).
Based on H.R. 2159 bill text
HR2159 Legislative Journey
Committee Action
Dec 2, 2025
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
House: Vote Held
Dec 1, 2025
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4923)
House: Committee Action
Oct 17, 2025
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-346.
House: Vote Held
Jun 10, 2025
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
House: Committee Action
Mar 14, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
About the Sponsor
Chip Roy
Republican, Texas's 21st congressional district · 7 years in Congress
Committees: Rules, the Judiciary, the Budget
View full profile →
Cosponsors (4)
This bill has 4 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 2 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 4 states: Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee, and 1 more.
Committee Sponsors
Judiciary Committee
0 of 22 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Judiciary Committee
3 of 44 committee members cosponsored
36 Republicans across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 2159 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Judiciary
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Introduced
- Mar 14, 2025
Passed the House, received in Senate
Dec 2, 2025
Constituent Resources
Official Sources
Official bill text, cosponsors, and full legislative history for the Count the Crimes to Cut Act
Congressional Budget Office estimate projecting $7 million over 2026-2031 for DOJ to compile the federal crimes report
The Justice Department division responsible for enforcing federal criminal laws — the entity that would compile the statutory offenses report
The DOJ office that develops criminal justice policy and analyzes federal caseload statistics — directly relevant to the 15-year prosecution data this bill requires
The committee that reported H.R. 2159 (H. Rept. 119-346) and one of two committees that will receive the Attorney General's crime report
The Senate committee currently considering H.R. 2159 after it passed the House by voice vote in December 2025
H.R. 2159 Bill Text
“To direct the Attorney General of the United States to submit to the Congress a report on Federal criminal offenses, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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