Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act

Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act

This bill expands the definition of crime of violence for the purposes of determining whether a defendant is subject to an enhanced criminal penalty for using or carrying a firearm in the crime of violence. The bill also expands applicable criminal penalties for bank robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping offenses, as well as certain drug offenses.

Under current law, an individual who uses or carries a firearm in a crime of violence is subject to an enhanced mandatory minimum prison term in addition and consecutive to any other prison term imposed for the underlying crime of violence. The term crime of violence includes a felony that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force. This bill expands crime of violence to include a conspiracy or an attempt to commit a felony that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force.

This bill expands applicable penalties for federal criminal offenses involving bank robbery, carjacking, or kidnapping, including by specifying the offenses that include as an element force or threat, or intimidation, and therefore qualify as a crime of violence under the existing definition.

Additionally, a conspiracy or attempt to commit a federal bank robbery, carjacking or kidnapping offense qualifies as a crime of violence under the expanded definition.

Finally, the bill establishes additional criminal penalties for certain federal drug offenses involving the manufacture or distribution of candy-flavored controlled substances or similar products for minors.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov