Rep. Andy Biggs on 'Count the Crimes to Cut Act' and Overcriminalization

The Problem of Overcriminalization

• 🏛️ The federal criminal code has become a bloated and disorganized labyrinth, making it impossible even for the DOJ to determine the exact number of federal crimes.
• ⚖️ This lack of clarity means Americans may unknowingly violate laws, leading to punishment without awareness, which is a threat to freedom and due process.
• 📚 Estimates suggest there could be anywhere from 4,000 statutes to hundreds of thousands of criminalized regulations, with no definitive count available.

The Count the Crimes to Cut Act (HR 2159)

• 💡 This bill, co-led by Rep. Chip Roy and supported by members across the aisle, aims to force the DOJ to compile a comprehensive list of federal criminal statutes.
• 📋 The list would include specific legal elements, authorized penalties, and prosecution numbers for each offense over the past 15 years.
• ✅ The core principle is that Americans should know what conduct is criminal before facing penalties, ensuring the law is knowable.

Consequences of Excessive Laws

• ⚠️ Overcriminalization disproportionately affects the most vulnerable, including the poor and small business owners who lack legal resources.
• 📉 When the criminal code becomes a weapon rather than a guide, it erodes liberty, hinders efforts to shrink government, and undermines due process.
• 🧐 The bill seeks to expose the scope of this problem as a necessary first step to restoring liberty and accountability.

Bipartisan Support for Clarity

• 🤝 The Count the Crimes to Cut Act is presented as a bipartisan, common-sense solution that is long overdue.
• 🗳️ Support for the bill is framed as a vote for liberty, government accountability, and the right of Americans to know the laws that could lead to imprisonment.