Federal officers now face criminal charges for denying medical care in custody
H.R. 3603 — Andrew Kearse Accountability for Denial of Medical Care Act of 2025 · Filed by Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) · 10 cosponsors · Introduced May 23, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal crime for law enforcement officers, prison staff, and U.S. Marshals who negligently fail to provide immediate medical attention to someone in federal custody who is in medical distress (including breathing difficulties) and suffers unnecessary pain, injury, or death as a result. It allows state attorneys general to sue for relief, requires federal Inspectors General to investigate such incidents and refer cases for prosecution, mandates a confidential complaint process, and requires training on medical response.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to establish criminal and civil liability for federal law enforcement and corrections officials who negligently deny medical care to people in custody. It is a protective statute modeled on victim-protection legislation, creating accountability mechanisms for a documented civil rights harm.
What the text implies
- The 'negligence' standard (rather than recklessness or intent) is a lower bar for criminal liability, potentially exposing officers to prosecution for judgment calls in medical emergencies.
- State attorneys general gain independent civil enforcement authority over federal officers, creating a new layer of accountability outside federal agency control.
- The confidential complaint process may generate significant internal investigations and referrals, potentially affecting federal agency operations and officer morale.
- Training requirements create an affirmative duty to document and demonstrate competency in medical response, shifting burden of proof in litigation.
Who it affects
People in federal custody gain a legal remedy and accountability mechanism for denial of medical care—a serious civil rights protection. Federal officers face criminal liability and mandatory training, creating deterrence against negligence that causes preventable suffering or death. The bill strengthens oversight and transparency through Inspector General investigations and state civil enforcement.
Named in the bill
Federal law enforcement officers, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, Inspector General (multiple agencies), Department of Justice, State attorneys general, Federal district courts
Where it stands
10 cosponsors: 10 Democrats.
- May 23, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- May 23, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the full bill text on Jun 8, 2026; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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