Amash, Gabbard Lead Major Victory Against Civil Asset Forfeiture

image
Published: 13 Sep, 2017
Updated: 17 Oct, 2022
1 min read

A unique bipartisan coalition led by US Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) scored a huge victory on Civil Asset Forfeiture Tuesday.

The US House approved an amendment -- added to the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act -- to rollback Attorney General Jeff Session's plan to revive a federal civil asset forfeiture program that allowed local and state law enforcement to seize assets and property from suspects and give them to the federal government without the suspect being charged or convicted of a crime.

The federal government would then give a chunk of these assets back to the local departments.

Heavy restrictions were put on the program -- called the Equitable Sharing Program -- under the Obama administration. AG Sessions, however, announced in June that the federal government was going to revive and expand it.

https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/907706798261633026

https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/907738802009067520

RELATED ARTICLE: The DEA Doesn’t Care About Guilt or Innocence… It Just Wants Your Money

The vote comes as a surprise to some as many House Republicans and Democrats joined forces to challenge the administration's policy -- potentially causing a bigger intra-party rift within the GOP in Congress and its relationship with the Trump administration.

The amendment had a total of nine co-sponsors from across the political aisle.

IVP Donate

The Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act is an appropriations act for several government agencies across many departments for the next fiscal year. It is awaiting approval from Congress.

Latest articles

US map divided in blue and red with a white ballot box on top.
Could Maine Be the First State to Exit the National Popular Vote Compact?
On May 20, the Maine House of Representatives voted 76–71 to withdraw the state from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), reversing course just over a year after Maine became the 17th jurisdiction to join the agreement....
04 Jun, 2025
-
3 min read
New York City
Nine Democrats Face Off in NYC Mayoral Debate as Ranked Choice Voting, Cuomo Probe, and Independent Bid from Adams Reshape the Race
A crowded field of nine Democratic candidates will take the stage tonight, June 4, in the first official debate of the 2025 New York City mayoral primary. Held at NBC’s 30 Rock studios and co-sponsored by the city’s Campaign Finance Board, NBC 4 New York, Telemundo 47, and POLITICO New York, the debate comes at a pivotal moment in a race already shaped by political upheaval, criminal investigations, and the unique dynamics of ranked choice voting....
04 Jun, 2025
-
6 min read
Elderly woman sitting in wheelchair staring out window.
Three Reps Put Party Labels Aside to Strengthen U.S. Role in Global Fight Against Alzheimer’s
Two California members of Congress, Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA-06) and Young Kim (R-CA-40), introduced a bill Wednesday with Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick aimed at bolstering the US's global role in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease. ...
04 Jun, 2025
-
3 min read