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Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012

Public Law 112-265 · H.R. 2076 · 112th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Jan 14, 2013 · Crime and Law Enforcement

Sponsor: Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC-4)

Cosponsors (3): Rep. Jason Chaffetz,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • 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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012 - Authorizes the Attorney General (AG), at the request of an appropriate law enforcement official of a state or political subdivision, to assist in the investigation of violent acts and shootings occurring in a place of public use, and in the investigation of mass killings and attempted mass killings.

Defines "mass killings" as three or more killings in a single incident.

Authorizes the AG to pay rewards of up to $3 million (currently, $2 million), subject to exceptions, for assistance to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to permit the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), at the request of an appropriate law enforcement official of a state or political subdivision and through deployment of the Secret Service or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to assist in the investigation of violent acts and shootings occurring in a place of public use, and in the investigation of mass killings and attempted mass killings.

Requires that any assistance provided under this Act be presumed to be within the scope of federal office or employment.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Judiciary Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee
  • Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported by
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.

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 1793Identical billRelated bill

    Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 31 actions.

  1. Jan 14, 2013Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 112-265.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jan 3, 2013FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Jan 1, 2013Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
  6. OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. Dec 31, 2012Resolving differencesResolving differences · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Scott (VA) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
  8. Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Gowdy moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2076.
  10. Dec 18, 2012FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  11. Dec 17, 2012FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  12. FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
  13. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  14. Nov 17, 2011CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 236.
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
  17. Sep 13, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  18. Sep 12, 2011FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  19. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 358 - 9 (Roll no. 699).House roll call 699
  20. FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
  21. FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
  22. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2076.
  23. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  24. FloorFloor · Mr. Gowdy moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  25. Jul 29, 2011CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 121.
  26. CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 112-186.
  27. Jul 20, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
  28. CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  29. Jul 11, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
  30. Jun 1, 2011CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.

  • S.Amdt. 3342SenateSen. Sheldon WhitehouseD-RI· offered Dec 17, 2012Agreed to

    In the nature of a substitute.

    Dec 17, 2012: Amendment SA 3342 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

    Agreed to
Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.