New Act Mandates Public Tracking of Pardoned January 6th Offenders’ Arrests and Law Enforcement Encounters

This bill, officially titled the “January 6th Truth and Transparency Act,” sets up a specific, recurring reporting requirement focused on individuals who received presidential pardons or clemency related to the events of January 6, 2021. Think of it as creating a permanent, public data stream for a very narrow group of people.

The Government’s New Data Project

What this bill actually does is put the Congressional Research Service (CRS)—the non-partisan policy arm of Congress—in charge of gathering and publishing data on this specific group. The first report is due within a tight 60 days of the bill becoming law, with subsequent updates required every 180 days thereafter. The data will be sent to key congressional committees, including the House Administration and Senate Rules committees, and, crucially, published on the Library of Congress website for public access. This isn't a one-and-done report; it’s an ongoing, semi-annual requirement (SEC. 2).

What Exactly Gets Tracked?

The reports must list every individual who received a pardon, commutation, or dismissal of indictment related to the January 6th events. But the real focus is on what happens after they receive clemency. The CRS is required to track and report if any of these individuals are subsequently arrested, charged with, or convicted of any Federal, State, or local criminal offense since January 20, 2025. This means any new ticket, misdemeanor, or felony conviction will be logged (SEC. 2).

Even more pointedly, the report must also track any instance where one of these individuals is involved in an encounter with law enforcement where an officer used force against them. This provision creates a targeted, public watch list focusing on subsequent criminal justice involvement for a group already identified by their previous actions. While the goal is transparency and oversight, it singles out this specific population for continuous public scrutiny of their post-clemency lives, which is a significant step beyond standard criminal justice reporting.

Who Feels the Impact?

For the individuals who received clemency, this bill means their interactions with the criminal justice system—even minor ones—will be continuously documented and made public. Imagine trying to move on with your life knowing that every arrest, charge, or even a documented use-of-force incident with a police officer will be flagged in a public, recurring government report. This creates a permanent digital shadow over their attempt to reintegrate into society, regardless of the severity of the subsequent offense.

On the administrative side, the CRS gets a new, permanent, and detailed data collection burden. They must coordinate with various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to compile this information every six months. The bill also includes a catch-all provision allowing the CRS Director to include “Any other information the Director determines is appropriate,” which gives the agency broad, undefined discretion over what else makes it into the public report.