Venue Named Under Exception Act

H.R. 194, the Venue Named Under Exception Act (VENUE Act), would modify the rules for where criminal cases involving federal property in the National Capital Region can be tried. Currently, such cases may be prosecuted in Washington, DC. Under this bill, cases involving crimes committed on federal property in DC and specified areas of Maryland and Virginia would instead be brought in the federal district where the offender last resided. If the offender's last residence is unknown, the case could still be prosecuted in DC.

If enacted, this change could affect how federal crimes in the National Capital Region are handled by shifting some cases away from DC courts to courts in other states where defendants live. This might distribute caseloads differently across federal courts in the region and could affect where trials take place for crimes on federal property. The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House.