H.R. 7702

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7702 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7702

To amend title 18, United States Code, to authorize capital punishment 
for certain sexual abuse offenses against children.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 25, 2026

Ms. Mace introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Armed 
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to authorize capital punishment 
for certain sexual abuse offenses against children.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Death Penalty for Child Rapists 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF DEATH PENALTY FOR CERTAIN SEXUAL ABUSE 
OFFENSES AGAINST CHILDREN.

(a) Aggravated Sexual Abuse.--Section 2241(c) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``shall be fined under this title 
and imprisoned for not less than 30 years or for life'' and inserting 
``shall be punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or 
for life and by a fine under this title''.
(b) Sexual Abuse of a Minor.--Section 2243(a) of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``shall be fined under this title, 
imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both'' and inserting ``shall be 
punished by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life, by 
a fine under this title, or by both''.
(c) Abusive Sexual Contact.--Section 2244 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (a)(3), by striking ``shall be fined under 
this title, imprisoned not more than two years, or both'' and 
inserting ``shall be punished by death or imprisonment for any 
term of years or for life, by a fine under this title, or by 
both'';
(2) in paragraph (a)(5), by striking ``shall be fined under 
this title and imprisoned for any term of years or for life'' 
and inserting ``shall be punished by death or imprisonment for 
any term of years or for life, by a fine under this title, or 
by both''; and
(3) in subsection (c), by--
(A) striking ``(other than subsection (a)(5))''; 
and
(B) striking ``maximum term of imprisonment that 
may be imposed for the offense shall be twice that 
otherwise provided in this section'' and inserting 
``maximum punishment that may be imposed for the 
offense shall be death or imprisonment for any term of 
years or for life''.
(d) Sentence of Death.--Section 3591(a) of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) an offense described in section 2241, section 2243, 
or section 2244 against a child; or''.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF DEATH PENALTY FOR OFFENSE OF RAPE OF A CHILD 
UNDER THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE.

Section 920b(a) of title 10, United States Code (article 120b(a) of 
the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting ``by 
death, or such other punishment'' after ``shall be punished''.

SEC. 4. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act or any amendment made by this Act, or 
the application of a provision of this Act or an amendment made by this 
Act to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, and the application of the provision or 
amendment to any person or circumstance, shall not be affected by the 
holding.
<all>