S 2985 Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.
Preventing Violence Against Female Inmates Act of 2025
To secure the dignity and safety of incarcerated women.
Summary
This bill requires the Federal Bureau of Prisons to use biological sex in making housing decisions for incarcerated individuals and prohibits co-locating incarcerated persons of different biological sexes in detention facilities, except on a temporary basis that does not include overnight housing. The bill defines "biological sex" based on sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads, and external and internal genitalia present at birth. The bill conditions federal funding for state prisons on states adopting similar housing policies that prohibit co-locating incarcerated persons of different biological sexes unless temporarily for daytime activities. States receiving federal criminal justice funds would be required to certify compliance with these housing requirements. The bill applies to persons charged with or convicted of federal or state offenses.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] (R-AR)
1 cosponsor
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Tom Cotton’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $80,461
- APOLLO MANAGEMENT $25,600
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $19,800
- BRODIE GENERATIONAL CAPITAL PARTNERS $13,200
- APOLLO $11,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Tom Cotton → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Oct 8, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- Oct 8, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 8, 2025
Mr. Cotton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To secure the dignity and safety of incarcerated women.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Preventing Violence Against Female Inmates Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. HOUSING PRISONERS BASED ON SEX.
(a) Federal Prisons.—
(1) In general.—Chapter 303 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “Sec. 4052. Bar on housing together prisoners of different sexes
“(a) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘biological sex’ means the biological classification of male and female in the context of reproductive potential or capacity, as indicated by sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads, and nonambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth.
“(b) Bar.—
“(1) In general.—The Bureau of Prisons—
“(A) shall use the biological sex of persons charged with or convicted of offenses against the United States in making determinations regarding housing such persons; and
“(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), shall not co-locate in detention facilities persons charged with or convicted of offenses against the United States if those persons are not of the same biological sex.
“(2) Exception.—The Bureau of Prisons may co-locate, on a temporary basis (which shall not include overnight housing), persons charged with or convicted of offenses against the United States who are not of the same biological sex.”.
(2) Technical and conforming amendment.—The table of sections for chapter 303 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“4052. Bar on housing together prisoners of different sexes.”.
(b) State Prisons.—Section 501 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10152) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(i) Bar on Housing Together Prisoners of Different Sexes.—
“(1) Definition.—In this subsection, the term ‘biological sex’ has the meaning given such term in section 4052 of title 18, United States Code.
“(2) Limitation on eligibility for funds.—
“(A) In general.—Beginning in the first fiscal year beginning after the date of enactment of this subsection, a State may not receive funds under this subpart for a fiscal year if the State does not submit to the Attorney General a certification that the State—
“(i) except as provided in subparagraph
(B), prohibits co-locating in detention facilities persons charged with or convicted of offenses under the law of the State if those persons are not of the same biological sex; and
“(ii) requires the use of the biological sex of persons charged with or convicted of offenses under the law of the State in making determinations regarding housing such persons.
“(B) Exception.—A State may co-locate, on a temporary basis (which shall not include overnight housing), persons charged with or convicted of offenses under the law of the State who are not of the same biological sex.”. <all>
Comments