HONEST Act of 2026

This bill would change federal criminal law so that officers of the United States and Members of Congress who commit certain federal sex crimes could be fined and punished by death or by prison for any number of years or for life. The covered crimes include female genital mutilation, sex trafficking, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse of minors or people in federal custody, abusive sexual contact, sexual exploitation of children, buying or selling children, child sexual abuse material offenses, and transporting minors for illegal sexual activity. The bill would also create a new federal crime of adultery that applies to officers of the United States and Members of Congress. Under this new crime, an official who has sexual intercourse while either the official or the other person is married to someone else could be fined, imprisoned for up to one year, or both.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Clay Fuller Republican sponsor
• 0 cosponsors