Bill · S. 3868· Senate(119-S-3868)
Count the Crimes to Cut Act
- Introduced
- 2/12/2026
- Last activity
- 2/12/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Mike Lee
- Cosponsors
- - 6 - 7
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Count the Crimes to Cut Act," directs the Attorney General to submit a report to Congress regarding Federal criminal statutory offenses. This report must include the elements, potential penalties, number of prosecutions over the last 15 years, and the mens rea requirements for these offenses. Additionally, specific Federal agencies must report on their own criminal regulatory offenses, including penalties, violation counts, and mens rea requirements. The Attorney General and the heads of these agencies are also required to create publicly accessible online indexes of these offenses.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+7
The bill mandates the creation of publicly accessible online indexes for federal criminal and regulatory offenses.
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?+3
The bill provides clarity on criminal elements and mens rea requirements for federal offenses.
Would business owners be better off under this?+3
The bill increases transparency for business owners regarding the criminal regulatory offenses they may face.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Transparency: The bill requires the Attorney General and various Federal agency heads to establish publicly accessible indexes of criminal offenses on their respective websites (Section 2, subsection d). This provides the public with easy access to information regarding federal crimes and regulations.
-
Historical Data Access: The reports must include the number of prosecutions or violations for the 15-year period preceding the enactment of the Act (Section 2, subsections b and c). This allows people to see how frequently certain laws or regulations are being enforced over time.
-
Clarity on Legal Requirements: By requiring reports to include the "mens rea" requirement and the specific elements of an offense, the bill provides clarity on the intent required to be held criminally liable (Section 2, subsections b and c).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No Provision for Funding: The bill explicitly states that nothing in the section shall be construed to require or authorize appropriations (Section 2, subsection e). This means the mandate for creating these reports and public indexes does not include the necessary funding to carry them out.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+7Improves Due Process+3
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Policing Reform+2
- 4/27/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/26/2026
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- 3/19/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/12/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
4 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
John CornynRepublican · Texas
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware
Ted CruzRepublican · Texas
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Lindsey GrahamRepublican · South Carolina
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Rand PaulRepublican · Kentucky
Rick ScottRepublican · Florida
Roger WickerRepublican · Mississippi
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont