No Rewards for January 6 Rioters Act

Overview

• Bill: H.R. 7711
• Session: 119th Congress, 2nd Session
• Title: No Rewards for January 6 Rioters Act
• Purpose: To prohibit the use of federal funds to compensate individuals prosecuted for involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and to prohibit the establishment of any compensation fund for those individuals. It also blocks refunding court-ordered compensation (restitution, fines, special assessments) to such individuals and requires any funds refunded to be transferred to the Architect of the Capitol.

Main Purpose and Intent

• The bill seeks to ensure that individuals prosecuted for involvement in the January 6 attack do not receive any financial compensation from federal funds, including through the Judgment Fund or any victim-compensation program.
• It also aims to prevent the creation of any new compensation fund for those individuals.
• Additionally, it directs that any court-ordered payments (restitution, fines, or similar assessments) paid by those individuals should not be refunded from the U.S. Treasury; instead, such amounts would be transferred to the Architect of the Capitol.

Key Provisions and Changes

• Prohibition on federal funding:
  • No federal funds (including Judgment Fund or victim-compensation funds) may be used to compensate anyone prosecuted for January 6 involvement, including individuals who were later pardoned.
• Prohibition on creating a compensation fund:
  • No new compensation fund may be established to compensate the described individuals.
• Restitution and fines not to be refunded:
  • Treasury funds may not be disbursed to refund court-ordered payments (restitution, fines, special assessments) for those convicted or pardoned.
  • Any amounts collected as restitution or fines would be redirected to the Architect of the Capitol.

Who/What Is Affected

• Affected individuals: Those prosecuted for involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack (whether or not later pardoned).
• Federal funds and programs implicated:
  • Judgment Fund (31 U.S.C. § 1304)
  • Federal victim-compensation funds
• Institutions/Recipients:
  • U.S. Treasury
  • Architect of the Capitol (recipient of redirected funds)
• No new compensation fund would be authorized for these individuals.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

• Introduced on February 25, 2026 by Representative Rooss (sponsors listed) and referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
• As a bill, it would need approval by the House, the Senate, and the President (or veto overridden) to become law.
• There is no explicit effective date or sunset provision in the text provided; typical implementation would follow enactment and subsequent regulatory or administrative steps.

Practical Impact

• Reduces financial relief options for individuals prosecuted for January 6 involvement by blocking access to federal funding streams that could compensate victims or defendants.
• Removes potential financial incentives tied to federal funds for those prosecuted, even if later pardoned.
• Could influence financial settlements or restitution processes by restricting refunds and directing funds to Capitol-area infrastructure (Architect of the Capitol) rather than to individuals.