Bill Overview
Title: Justice for Americans Act of 2022
Description: This bill generally prohibits sentencing an individual to a term of imprisonment for violating a rule made by a federal agency, department, or nonlegislative entity. It also (1) requires federal law enforcement officers to record each interview, and (2) repeals authorizations for issuing national security letters.
Sponsors: Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals impacted by US federal agency regulations and law enforcement procedures
Estimated Size: 95000
- The bill affects individuals who are potentially facing sentencing from violations not passed directly by Congress.
- Any person currently interacting with federal law enforcement may be impacted due to the change in recording requirements.
- People concerned or recently affected by surveillance policies under national security letters would be recipients of impact due to repeal of authorizations.
Reasoning
- The Justice for Americans Act of 2022 primarily impacts individuals who are directly subject to federal agency regulations and law enforcement procedures, encompassing a group estimated around 95,000, mostly US citizens.
- The policy's budget is primarily focused on implementing procedural changes such as interview recordings and repealing national security letters.
- Not all individuals who interface with these federal mechanisms will experience a tangible change in their wellbeing; therefore, a mixture of high, medium, low, and no impact individuals should be considered.
- Budgetary constraints and target population suggest that significant resources would be allocated in legal and administrative realignments, affecting people unevenly across different states and occupations.
Simulated Interviews
Software developer (Springfield, Illinois)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy is a necessary step to protect personal privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Federal law enforcement officer (Miami, Florida)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While it increases my workload, recording interviews is good for transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Civil liberties advocate (Austin, Texas)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is an essential safeguard for citizens' rights.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Law professor (San Francisco, California)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act is a necessary correction of overreach in federal powers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retired teacher (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support anything that keeps federal agencies more accountable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Freelance journalist (New York, New York)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe the policy could lead to more truthful interactions with law enforcement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Graduate student (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 26 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Such reforms are critical for a fairer justice system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Small business owner (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill could reduce unnecessary legal stress on small families.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Technician (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is reassuring; privacy should be prioritized.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Public defender (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Recording interviews will level the playing field in federal cases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $18000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $16000000 (Low: $9000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $15000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $23000000)
Year 5: $14000000 (Low: $7000000, High: $21000000)
Year 10: $12000000 (Low: $6000000, High: $18000000)
Year 100: $9000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- Technology and training costs for federal law enforcement interview recordings.
- Impact on interior judicial processes due to changes in sentencing guidelines.
- Potential resistance from agencies currently using national security letters as investigative tools.