Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996
Public Law 104-305 · H.R. 4137 · 104th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Oct 13, 1996 · Crime and Law Enforcement
Sponsor: Rep. Gerald Solomon (R-NY-22)
Cosponsors (34): Rep. Bill McCollum, Rep. Susan Molinari,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act of 1996 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to impose penalties of up to 20 years' imprisonment and a fine for violating CSA provisions by distributing a controlled substance to an individual without that individual's knowledge, with intent to commit a crime of violence (including rape) against such individual.
Enhances penalties for certain activities involving flunitrazepam under: (1) the CSA, including manufacturing, distributing, or possessing with intent to distribute specified quantities of flunitrazepam (and increases penalties for unlawful simple possession of flunitrazepam); and (2) the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act, including possessing, manufacturing, and distributing for purposes of unlawful importation of such quantities.
Directs: (1) the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend, as appropriate, the sentencing guidelines for offenses involving flunitrazepam and to ensure that such guidelines reflect the serious nature of such offenses; and (2) the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, in consultation with other Federal and State agencies as appropriate, to conduct a study on the appropriateness of rescheduling flunitrazepam as a Schedule I controlled substance. Sets forth reporting requirements.
Authorizes the Attorney General to create educational materials regarding the use of controlled substances in the furtherance of rapes and sexual assaults for dissemination to police departments throughout the United States.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
- Judiciary Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Oct 13, 1996Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-305.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 10, 1996PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 4, 1996Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Solomon asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
- Oct 3, 1996FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Amendment SP 5429 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 26, 1996FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 421 - 1 (Roll no. 435).House roll call 435
- Sep 25, 1996FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed until Sept. 26.
- FloorFloor · Mr. McCollum moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Sep 24, 1996CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.