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BillHR 8940 · 119

Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act

Introduced
May 20, 2026
Cosponsors
23
Traction
0
Last Action
May 20, 2026

Bill Summary

Abolishes the federal death penalty, preventing the federal government from executing people for certain crimes. Repeals existing federal laws that allow for capital punishment.

Sponsored By

Ayanna Pressley
Democrat · Massachusetts · House

Bill Journey

  1. May 20, 2026
  2. May 20, 2026You Are Here

    The committee will review the bill, debate amendments, and vote on whether to advance it to the full chamber.

  3. TBD

    The full chamber debates the bill, may amend it, and votes on whether to pass it.

  4. TBD

    If passed by the first chamber, the other chamber considers, may amend, and votes on the bill.

  5. TBD

    If passed by both chambers, the bill goes to the President to sign into law or veto.

Why It Matters

This bill affects people convicted of federal crimes that are currently punishable by death, as they would instead receive life imprisonment or other penalties. It also impacts the families of victims and defendants in federal death penalty cases, who would see a change in the potential outcomes of these cases.

Impact Areas

Sample
Addresses Supply
Targets an underlying shortage driving costs.
Supports Families
Aimed at easing pressure on working households.
Long-term Impact
Effects compound across multiple budget cycles.
Expands Access
Lowers barriers for first-time participants.

Support & Opposition

Sponsor & cosponsor support by party
1backer
  • Democratic1
Cross-party cosponsors0 · 0%

Documents

1

Full text opens on congress.gov, the official source.

Bill Details

Bill TypeHouse Bill · Federal
Primary TopicSafety & Crime
IntroducedMay 20, 2026
Last UpdatedMay 20, 2026
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Subjects
  • Safety
  • Economy

Summary and impact analysis written by Judy (KnowGov's enrichment AI). Bill metadata, status, sponsor, and any floor votes from Prism. Sections marked “Sample” are placeholders not yet connected to live data.