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POSITIVE Justice & Civil Liberties 118th Congress

H.R.4972 End Solitary Confinement Act

Restricts the use of solitary confinement in federal prisons, which mental health experts consider a form of torture (118th Congress)

View on Congress.gov

Legal & Constitutional Grounding

UN Mandela Rules classify solitary >15 days as torture; APA documents severe psychological harm from prolonged isolation.

UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules), Rule 44: solitary confinement exceeding 15 consecutive days constitutes torture
  • U.S. Const. amend. VIII — prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment
  • APA (2020): prolonged isolation causes documented severe psychological harm including psychosis

Bill activity

Introduced Jul 27, 2023 by Cori Bush (D-MO) with 13 original cosponsors. 28 cosponsors as of Aug 30, 2024.

Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) is not listed among the cosponsors of this bill.
  1. IntroducedJul 27, 2023
  2. Passed House 
  3. Passed Senate 
  4. To President 
  5. Became Law 

Latest action Jul 27, 2023: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Cosponsors during the cosponsorship window

118th Congress (Jan 2023 to Jan 2025)

Oct 2023NovDecJan 2024FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJul 27, 2023Jan 3, 2025 (closed)13 originalAdriano Espaillat (D-NY-13). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-3). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA-44). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY-7). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Summer L. Lee (D-PA-12). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Grace Meng (D-NY-6). Cosponsored Aug 4, 2023, 8 days after introduction.Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10). Cosponsored Aug 4, 2023, 8 days after introduction.Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-3). Cosponsored Aug 4, 2023, 8 days after introduction.Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL-9). Cosponsored Sep 26, 2023, 61 days after introduction.Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL-4). Cosponsored Sep 26, 2023, 61 days after introduction.Troy Carter (D-LA-2). Cosponsored Sep 26, 2023, 61 days after introduction.Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18). Cosponsored Sep 28, 2023, 63 days after introduction.Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ-7). Cosponsored Nov 17, 2023, 113 days after introduction.Glenn Ivey (D-MD-4). Cosponsored Jan 9, 2024, 166 days after introduction.Melanie Ann Stansbury (D-NM-1). Cosponsored Jan 9, 2024, 166 days after introduction.Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18). Cosponsored Feb 15, 2024, 203 days after introduction.Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29). Cosponsored Feb 28, 2024, 216 days after introduction.Becca Balint (D-VT). Cosponsored Jun 11, 2024, 320 days after introduction.Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20). Cosponsored Jul 30, 2024, 369 days after introduction.Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (D-GA-4). Cosponsored Aug 30, 2024, 400 days after introduction. Jan 2024AprJunAugOctDecJul 27, 2023Jan 3, 2025 (closed)13 originalAdriano Espaillat (D-NY-13). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-3). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-5). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA-44). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY-7). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Summer L. Lee (D-PA-12). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37). Cosponsored Jul 27, 2023, on the day of introduction. Original cosponsor.Grace Meng (D-NY-6). Cosponsored Aug 4, 2023, 8 days after introduction.Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10). Cosponsored Aug 4, 2023, 8 days after introduction.Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-3). Cosponsored Aug 4, 2023, 8 days after introduction.Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL-9). Cosponsored Sep 26, 2023, 61 days after introduction.Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia (D-IL-4). Cosponsored Sep 26, 2023, 61 days after introduction.Troy Carter (D-LA-2). Cosponsored Sep 26, 2023, 61 days after introduction.Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18). Cosponsored Sep 28, 2023, 63 days after introduction.Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ-7). Cosponsored Nov 17, 2023, 113 days after introduction.Glenn Ivey (D-MD-4). Cosponsored Jan 9, 2024, 166 days after introduction.Melanie Ann Stansbury (D-NM-1). Cosponsored Jan 9, 2024, 166 days after introduction.Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18). Cosponsored Feb 15, 2024, 203 days after introduction.Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29). Cosponsored Feb 28, 2024, 216 days after introduction.Becca Balint (D-VT). Cosponsored Jun 11, 2024, 320 days after introduction.Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20). Cosponsored Jul 30, 2024, 369 days after introduction.Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (D-GA-4). Cosponsored Aug 30, 2024, 400 days after introduction.
Democratic 28

Each dot is one cosponsor. Dots stack by sign-on day, or by week when the window is long. The block at the left holds the original cosponsors.

Cosponsorship closed Jan 3, 2025 (118th Congress): the Congress ended with the bill still in committee.

Activity log

Source: Congress.gov actions
  1. Introduced in House
  2. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
  3. 13 original cosponsors on the day of introduction
  4. 3 members cosponsored
  5. 3 members cosponsored
  6. Sheila Jackson Lee cosponsored (D-TX)
  7. Raúl M. Grijalva cosponsored (D-AZ)
  8. 2 members cosponsored
  9. Zoe Lofgren cosponsored (D-CA)
  10. Sylvia R. Garcia cosponsored (D-TX)
  11. Becca Balint cosponsored (D-VT)
  12. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick cosponsored (D-FL)
  13. Henry C. "Hank" Johnson cosponsored (D-GA)

Votes on this bill

No recorded votes yet on this measure.

Cosponsors

28 cosponsored

Sponsor Introduced by Cori Bush (D-MO) on Jul 27, 2023

MemberParty/StateDateDays after introductionOriginalGrade
Adriano EspaillatD-NYJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezD-NYJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Ayanna PressleyD-MAJul 27, 20230OriginalA+
Bonnie Watson ColemanD-NJJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Delia C. RamirezD-ILJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Eleanor Holmes NortonD-DCJul 27, 20230Original—
Emanuel CleaverD-MOJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Jamaal BowmanD-NYJul 27, 20230Original—
Nanette Diaz BarraganD-CAJul 27, 20230OriginalB+
Nydia M. VelazquezD-NYJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Rashida TlaibD-MIJul 27, 20230OriginalA
Summer L. LeeD-PAJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Sydney Kamlager-DoveD-CAJul 27, 20230OriginalA-
Grace MengD-NYAug 4, 20238B
Maxwell FrostD-FLAug 4, 20238A-
Morgan McGarveyD-KYAug 4, 20238A-
Janice D. SchakowskyD-ILSep 26, 202361B+
Jesus G. "Chuy" GarciaD-ILSep 26, 202361A-
Troy CarterD-LASep 26, 202361B
Sheila Jackson LeeD-TXSep 28, 202363—
Raúl M. GrijalvaD-AZNov 17, 2023113—
Glenn IveyD-MDJan 9, 2024166B
Melanie Ann StansburyD-NMJan 9, 2024166B+
Zoe LofgrenD-CAFeb 15, 2024203B
Sylvia R. GarciaD-TXFeb 28, 2024216A-
Becca BalintD-VTJun 11, 2024320A-
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickD-FLJul 30, 2024369C-
Henry C. "Hank" JohnsonD-GAAug 30, 2024400A+

End Solitary Confinement Act. Prolonged solitary confinement causes documented severe psychological harm and is considered torture under international law (UN Mandela Rules).