Technical corrections only. The later version, v5, updates the legislative status of the bill to reflect that it was reported by the Committee on the Judiciary without amendment. There are no substantive policy changes to the text of the bill itself between v4 and v5.
Count the Crimes to Cut Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Roy, Chip [R-TX-21]
- Committees
- Judiciary Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Apr 14, 2026
Bottom line
The bill aims to enhance transparency and public accessibility regarding the vast landscape of federal criminal laws and regulations by requiring comprehensive reports and the creation of public online indexes.
What it actually does
This bill directs the Attorney General to compile and report a comprehensive list of all federal criminal statutory offenses, including their elements, potential penalties, prosecution history, and mens rea requirements. It also mandates that numerous federal agencies create similar reports for criminal regulatory offenses enforceable by them. Finally, it requires the Department of Justice and these agencies to establish and maintain publicly accessible online indexes of these criminal offenses.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that this bill is a critical step towards understanding the full scope of federal criminal law, which has become increasingly complex and difficult for the public to navigate. They contend that a comprehensive inventory will enable Congress and citizens to identify outdated, redundant, or overly broad offenses, promoting criminal justice reform and ensuring due process by making laws more accessible and understandable.
Opponents contend
Critics might argue that compiling such an exhaustive list represents an immense administrative burden for federal agencies and the Department of Justice, potentially diverting significant resources from core law enforcement and regulatory functions. They may also suggest that the sheer volume of offenses, once cataloged, could be misinterpreted or used to undermine necessary regulatory enforcement efforts.
The bill is very short and clearly written, making it highly accessible for any reader to quickly understand its core directives and implications.
Section 2(b)
Attorney General's Report on Criminal Statutory Offenses
This provision mandates that the Attorney General submit a report to the Judiciary Committees of both the Senate and House within one year of the bill's enactment. The report must list all federal criminal statutory offenses, detailing their elements, potential criminal penalties, the number of prosecutions brought by the Department of Justice for each offense over the preceding 15 years, and the required mental state (mens rea) for each offense.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this report is essential for transparency and accountability, allowing Congress and the public to understand the full scope of federal criminal law and identify areas for reform, ensuring that laws are just, necessary, and clearly defined.
Critics contend
Critics might contend that the task is overly burdensome and resource-intensive for the Department of Justice, potentially diverting resources from active law enforcement efforts without a clear, immediate benefit to public safety.
Tradeoffs
This provision balances the desire for comprehensive transparency and congressional oversight of federal criminal law against the substantial administrative burden and resource allocation required for the Department of Justice to compile such an extensive report.
Section 2(c)
Federal Agency Reports on Criminal Regulatory Offenses
This section requires the heads of numerous specified federal agencies (including Departments like Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, and independent agencies like EPA, SEC, FCC) to submit similar reports to Congress within one year. These reports must list all criminal regulatory offenses enforceable by their respective agencies, detailing potential criminal penalties, the number of violations referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution over the past 15 years, and the mens rea requirement for each offense.
Section 2(d)
Creation of Publicly Accessible Indexes
Within two years of the bill's enactment, this provision directs the Attorney General to establish and maintain a freely accessible online index of all criminal statutory offenses on the Department of Justice website. Concurrently, the head of each federal agency required to submit a report under subsection (c) must create and maintain a similar publicly accessible online index of their respective criminal regulatory offenses on their agency's website.