PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Committee on Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 105-130.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 21, 1997
Federal Gang Violence Act - Directs the United States Sentencing Commission to amend the sentencing guidelines to provide an appropriate enhancement, increasing the offense level by not less than six levels, for any offense committed in connection with, or in furtherance of, the activities of a criminal street gang where the defendant was a member of such gang at the time of the offense. (Sec. 3) Amends Federal criminal code provisions regarding criminal street gangs to: (1) delete the definition of "conviction"; (2) redefine "criminal street gang" to cover a group whose members have engaged during the previous five-year period in a pattern of criminal gang activity; and (3) define "pattern of criminal gang activity" to mean the commission of two or more predicate gang crimes in connection with the activities of a criminal street gang, on separate occasions, at least one of which crimes was committed after the date of this Act's enactment and the first of which was committed not more than five years before the commission of another predicate gang crime. Defines "predicate gang crime" as an offense, including an act of juvenile delinquency that, if committed by an adult, would be: (1) a Federal offense that is a crime of violence, that involves a controlled substance for which the penalty is at least five years' imprisonment, or that is a violation of other specified prohibitions under the code or under the Immigration and Nationality Act; (2) a State offense involving conduct that would constitute such an offense if Federal jurisdiction existed or had been exercised; or (3) a conspiracy, attempt, or solicitation to commit such offenses. Sets penalties for engaging in a pattern of criminal gang activity. (Sec. 4) Amends the Travel Act to increase: (1) penalties for violations; and (2) the scope of unlawful activities under such Act. (Sec. 5) Prohibits and sets penalties for soliciting or recruiting persons to participate in criminal street gang activity. (Sec. 6) Makes: (1) crimes involving the recruitment of persons to participate in criminal street gangs, and acts or conspiracies to violate firearms laws, predicate offenses under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act; and (2) serious juvenile drug offenses predicate offenses under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Increases penalties for firearms prohibitions, including by setting a three-year minimum term of imprisonment for transferring firearms to minors for use in crime. (Sec. 8) Directs the Commission to amend the sentencing guidelines to provide an appropriate sentencing enhancement, increasing the offense level not less than two levels, for any crime in which the defendant used body armor. (Sec. 9) Authorizes appropriations to hire Assistant U.S. Attorneys and attorneys in the Department of Justice's criminal division to prosecute juvenile criminal street gangs.
People & committees
Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R–UT
Legislative record
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Committee on Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 105-130.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S420-421)
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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