PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 579.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Aug 3, 2006
Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act - (Sec. 4) Establishes an Unsolved Civil Rights Era Crimes Unit in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and an Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Investigative Office in the Civil Rights Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Requires the Deputy of the Section and the Deputy Investigator of the Office to be responsible for investigating violations of criminal civil rights statutes in which the complaint alleges that such a violation occurred not later than December 31, 1969, and resulted in a death. Requires the Deputy Investigator to: (1) determine whether the subject of a complaint has violated a criminal rights statute; and (2) refer such determination and complaint to the Deputy, who shall be responsible for prosecuting violations.
Requires the Deputy to: (1) consult with state or local officials regarding the appropriate venue for a case where there has been a violation of a criminal civil rights statute that is also a violation of a state or local law; and (2) refer cases to the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division if the Deputy determines that the subject of the complaint has violated a criminal civil rights statute but the violation did not occur later than December 31, 1969, and result in a death.
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Requires the Deputy, annually, to study and report to Congress on the cases under the jurisdiction of the Deputy or the Chief Investigator of the Unit for which there is sufficient evidence and for which there is insufficient evidence to prosecute violations of criminal civil rights statutes.
Gives the FBI the discretion to reallocate investigative personnel to jurisdictions to carry out the goals of this Act.
(Sec. 6) Authorizes appropriations for FY2007-FY2016. Authorizes appropriations to the Community Relations Service of DOJ to provide technical assistance by bringing together law enforcement agencies and communities in the investigation of criminal civil rights statutes.
(Sec. 7) Terminates the Act at the end of FY2016.
(Sec. 8) Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to allow Inspectors General to authorize staff to assist the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by conducting reviews of inactive case files to develop recommendations for further investigations. Prohibits an Inspector General from permitting staff to engage in such activities if they will interfere with the Inspector General's duties.
People & committees
Sen. Talent, Jim [R-MO] · R–MO
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 579.
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze S.2679 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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