Goodlatte Applauds House Passage of Legislation to Clean Up U.S. Criminal Code

Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives today approved by a vote of 386-5 a bill that helps to reduce our growing over-criminalization problem by eliminating several sections of the criminal code that are bizarre, and/or have never before been prosecuted, the Clean Up the Code Act (H.R. 7093) House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-Oh.) who introduced the bill, issued the following statements on today’s House passage below.

Chairman Goodlatte: “I applaud the passage of the Clean Up the Code Act today, which is the result of the bipartisan Over-Criminalization Task Force’s great work. Citizens should not be burdened by criminal laws that are absolute or have never been prosecuted. I am pleased to support this legislation that eliminates many such crimes.”

Mr. Chabot:“I am pleased that this common-sense legislation passed. The Clean Up the Code Act will not only streamline the criminalization process, but it will also ensure that activities such as the unauthorized use of an emblem or the transportation of dentures are not criminalized.  By eliminating several unnecessary and trivial criminal penalties, the legislation will help to make sure that people are not criminally prosecuted for honest mistakes and benign behavior, while at the same time preserving appropriate punishments for truly illegal activity.”

Background: The House Judiciary Committee’s Over-Criminalization Task Force was first created in 2013 to assess our current federal criminal statutes and make recommendations for improvements. 

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