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Crime Victim Assistance Improvement Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 4, 1994

Crime Victim Assistance Improvement Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to increase the special assessments on convicted persons in the case of a felony. Extends the period of obligation to pay an assessment. Prohibits a person sentenced to pay a fine or restitution from being released from custody following sentencing until the person has paid the fine or restitution in full. Authorizes the court, if the interest of justice requires, to permit the defendant to delay payment. Provides for the enforcement of a sentence of a fine through an order suspending Federal benefits or requiring community service. Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to authorize the Director of the Office for Victims of Crime to retain any portion of the Crime Victims Fund that was deposited during a fiscal year in excess of 110 percent of the total amount deposited during the preceding fiscal year as a reserve for use in a year in which the Fund falls below the amount available in the previous year. Limits the amount held in reserve at any time to $20 million. Prohibits payments to delinquent criminal debtors by State crime victim compensation programs. Excludes certain sums received from such programs for purposes of means tests. Makes declarations regarding the "Son of Sam" law and forfeiture of collateral profits of crime. Requires the court, upon the motion of the U.S. attorney after conviction of a defendant of an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, to order the defendant to forfeit any payment for any item sold or service provided by the defendant if the payment would not have been offered but for the defendant's notoriety as the perpetrator, or if the sale or service is otherwise related to the defendant's having committed the offense. Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to make sums in the Crime Victims Fund specifically available to Indian tribes.

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Who introduced it

Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] · R–AZ

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
3 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5189-5191)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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