United States Sentencing Commission January 30, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 994(a), (o), and (p) of title 28, United States Code, the United States Sentencing Commission is considering promulgating certain amendments to the sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary. This notice sets forth the proposed amendments and, for each proposed amendment, a synopsis of the issues addressed by that amendment. This notice also provides multiple issues for comment, some of which are contained within proposed amendments. The specific proposed amendments and issues for comment in this notice are as follows: (A) Proposed amendment to Sec. Sec. 2A1.1 (First Degree Murder), 2A1.2 (Second Degree Murder), 2A1.3 (Voluntary Manslaughter), 2A1.4 (Involuntary Manslaughter), 2A2.1 (Assault with Intent to Commit Murder; Attempted Murder), 2A2.2 (Aggravated Assault), 2A2.3 (Minor Assault), 2A2.4 (Obstructing or Impeding Officers), 2A5.2 (Interference with Flight Crew Member or Flight Attendant; Interference with Dispatch, Operation, or Maintenance of Mass Transportation Vehicle or a Ferry), 2A6.1 (Threatening or Harrassing Communications; Hoaxes), 2B1.1 (Fraud, Theft, and Property Damage), 2C1.1 (Offering, Giving, Soliciting, or Receiving a Bribe; Extortion Under Color of Official Right; Fraud Involving the Deprivation of the Intangible Right to Honest Services of Public Officials; Conspiracy to Defraud by Interference with Governmental Functions), 2B2.3 (Trespass), 2K1.4 (Arson; Property Damage by Use of Explosives), 2M6.1 (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons, and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction), 2Q1.1 (Knowing Endangerment Resulting From Mishandling Hazardous or Toxic Substances, Pesticides or Other Pollutants), 2X1.1 (Attempt, Solicitation, or Conspiracy (Not Covered by a Specific Offense Guideline)), 2X5.2 (Class A Misdemeanor Offenses (Not Covered by a Specific Offense Guideline)), Appendix A, and issues for comment regarding implementation of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-177 (hereinafter the ``PATRIOT Act'') and the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, Pub. L. 109-59, as these laws pertain to transportation offenses; (B) proposed amendment to Chapter Two, Parts A and G, Sec. Sec. 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse), 2A3.3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Ward or Attempt to Commit Such Acts), 2A3.4 (Abusive Sexual Contact or Attempt to Commit Abusive Sexual Contact), 2G1.1 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with an Individual Other than a Minor), 2G1.3 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Transportation of Minors to Engage in a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct), 2G2.5 (Recordkeeping Offenses Involving the Production of Sexually Explicit Materials; Failure to Provide Required Marks in Commercial Electronic Email), 2G3.1 (Importing, Mailing, or Transporting Obscene Matter; Transferring Obscene Matter to a Minor; Misleading Domain Names), 2H3.1 (Interception of Communications; Eavesdropping; Disclosure of Tax Return Information), 2J1.2 (Obstruction of Justice), 4B1.5 (Repeat and Dangerous Sex Offender Against Minors), 5B1.3 (Conditions of Probation), 5D1.2 (Term of Supervised Release), 5D1.3 (Conditions of Supervised Release), Appendix A, and issues for comment regarding implementation of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, Pub. L. 109-248 (hereinafter the ``Adam Walsh Act''); (C) proposed amendment to re-promulgate as a permanent amendment the temporary, emergency amendment to Sec. 2B5.3 (Criminal Infringement of Copyright or Trademark), effective September 12, 2006 (see USSG Supplement to Appendix C (Amendment 682)), and issues for comment regarding implementation of the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act, Pub. L. 109-181; (D) proposed amendment to Chapter Two, Parts D and X, Sec. Sec. 2A1.1, 2A1.2, 2B1.1, 2B1.5 (Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of Cultural Heritage Resources; Unlawful Sale, Purchase, Exchange, Transportation, or Receipt of Cultural Heritage Resources), 2D1.1 (Unlawful Manufacturing, Importing, Exporting, or Trafficking (Including Possession with Intent to Commit These Offenses); Attempt or Conspiracy), 2E4.1 (Unlawful Conduct Relating to Contraband Cigarettes), 2K1.3 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Explosive Materials; Prohibited Transactions Involving Explosive Materials), 2K1.4, 2M5.3 (Providing Material Support or Resources to Designated Foreign Terrorism Organizations of For a Terrorist Purpose), 2M6.1, 2Q2.1 (Offenses Involving Fish, Wildlife, and Plants), 2X1.1, 2X2.1 (Aiding and Abetting), 2X3.1 (Accessory After the Fact), Appendix A, and issues for comment regarding implementation of the PATRIOT Act and the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007, Pub. L. 109-295, as these laws pertain to terrorism offenses and border protection; (E) proposed amendment to Sec. Sec. 2D1.1, 2D1.11 (Unlawfully Distributing, Importing, Exporting, or Possessing a Listed Chemical; Attempt or Conspiracy), Appendix A (Statutory Index), and issues for comment regarding implementation of the PATRIOT Act and the Adam Walsh Act as these laws pertain to drug offenses; (F) proposed amendment to Sec. Sec. 2L1.1 (Smuggling, Transporting, or Harboring an Unlawful Alien), 2L1.2 (Unlawfully Entering or Remaining in the United States), 2L2.1 (Trafficking in a Document Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status, or a United States Passport; False Statement in Respect to the Citizenship or Immigration Status of Another; Fraudulent Marriage to Assist Alien to Evade Immigration Law), and 2L2.2 (Fraudulently Acquiring Documents Relating to Naturalization, Citizenship, or Legal Resident Status for Own Use; False Personation or Fraudulent Marriage by Alien to Evade Immigration Law; Fraudulently Acquiring or Improperly Using a United States Passport); (G)(1) proposed amendment to Sec. 2B2.3 (Trespass) to implement the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act, Pub. L. 109-228; (2) proposed amendment to Sec. 2H3.1 to implement the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-162; and (3) issue for comment regarding implementation of the SAFE Port Act, Pub. L. 109-347; (H) proposed amendment to (1) Sec. Sec. 2B1.1, 2D1.11, 2K2.1 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Firearms or Ammunition; Prohibited Transactions Involving Firearms or Ammunition), and 2L1.1 to correct typographical errors; and (2) Chapter Three, Part D (Introductory Commentary) and Sec. 3D1.1 (Procedure for Determining Offense Level on Multiple Counts) to address cases involving multiple counts contained in multiple indictments; (I) issue for comment regarding Sec. 1B1.13 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Motion by Director of Bureau of Prisons); (J) issues for comment regarding application of certain criminal history rules under Sec. 4A1.2 (Definitions and Instructions for Computing Criminal History); (K) issue for comment regarding implementation of section 4 of the Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006, Pub. L. 109-476, which provides the Commission with emergency amendment authority to amend the guidelines applicable to persons convicted of an offense under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1039; and (L) issue for comment regarding federal cocaine sentencing policy.