119th Congress · introduced in the House · Jan 9, 2025
Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Jan 9, 2025): Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Jan 9, 2025)
Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025
This bill limits certain actions by the federal government related to the criminal prosecution and sentencing of individuals who are charged with a political protest offense. A political protest offense is a federal criminal offense that arises out of protest activities and is not a crime of violence. The bill also makes other changes that apply more broadly to curtail certain investigations and prosecutions of federal criminal offenses.
With respect to individuals who are charged with a political protest offense, the bill
• prohibits pretrial detention,
• generally requires the federal criminal trial to begin within 70 days of being charged or making an initial appearance before the court, and
• expresses the sense of Congress that the sentence imposed should be consistent with the minimum sentence provided by the guideline range applicable to the defendant.
Show the full summary (5 more paragraphs)Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Administrative remedies · Civil actions and liability · Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation · Criminal procedure and sentencing · Detention of persons · Due process and equal protection · Protest and dissent
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
4 citations.
A NEW POLICY INC. · lobbying firm or registrant: A NEW POLICY INC.
2026 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026) · posted Apr 10, 2026 · issue area: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
$10,000
Spent on own lobbying
…R. 867IGO Anti-Boycott Act H.R. 3282Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act of 2025 H.R. 3050 Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act H.R. 277Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025 H.R. 3724No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act S. 3674The SCAM Act S.3646A bill to stop the Government from attacking individ…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
A NEW POLICY INC. · lobbying firm or registrant: A NEW POLICY INC.
2025 Q4 report (Oct 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025) · posted Jan 27, 2026 · issue area: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
$10,000
Spent on own lobbying
…Unmasking Hamas Act of 2025 H.R. 3282Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act of 2025 H.R. 3050Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act H.R. 277Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025 H.R. 3724No Amnesty for Hamas Sympathizers Act S. 3554To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to terminate the tax-exempt…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
A NEW POLICY INC. · lobbying firm or registrant: A NEW POLICY INC.
2025 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025) · posted Oct 17, 2025 · issue area: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
$10,000
Spent on own lobbying
…R.2866No Visas for Anti-Semitic Students Act A New Policy lobbied in support of the following bills that would protect U.S. freedoms under the First Amendment: H.R.277Matthew Lawrence Perna Act of 2025
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS · lobbying firm or registrant: LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS
2025 Q1 report (Jan 1, 2025 – Mar 31, 2025) · posted Apr 18, 2025 · issue area: Government Issues
$170,000
Spent on own lobbying
…nd Budget. Urged Congress to oppose "Midnight Rules Relief Act- H.R. 77 Urged Congress to oppose Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act H.R. 277 and similar bills or amendments. Urged the U.S. Senate to oppose the confirmation of Pam Bondi to Attorney General. Urged the U.S. Senate to oppose the confirm…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing