Contact Congress about S. 1038: TRACE Act
Missing persons cases would get a new marker when the person was last seen on certain federal land or in U.S. territorial waters. The government would also send Congress a yearly count of those cases. The bill does not add new search or investigation powers.
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TRACE Act is a House bill awaiting final action. The latest recorded action: Held at the desk.
Latest action on S. 1038: Held at the desk.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects families with missing loved ones, law enforcement agencies, and the federal agencies that manage large public lands and nearby waters. It could matter most in cases tied to places like national parks, national forests, and some Army Corps of Engineers project areas. It also affects the Justice Department staff who run the database and prepare the yearly reports for Congress.
Why this matters: Missing persons cases on large federal lands or in coastal waters can be hard to track because those places are remote and managed by different agencies. This bill tries to make those cases easier to identify in one national system. Better location data could help show patterns over time and support later decisions about staffing, safety, data sharing, or search practices. But the bill does not require those follow-up changes, so its real effect depends on how agencies use the new information.
Key provisions in S. 1038
- NamUs, the national missing persons database, would have to add a new location marker. It would show when a person was last known to be on certain federal land or in U.S. territorial waters, whether that location is confirmed or only suspected.
- Cases would need more exact place details. The database would list the specific federal land unit or water area where the person was last known to be.
- The bill spells out which federal lands count. It includes land managed by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, leaves out Indian trust land, and includes certain Army Corps of Engineers land and water projects.
- The bill also defines U.S. territorial waters. It uses the 12-nautical-mile coastal zone set out in Presidential Proclamation 5928 from 1988.
- The Attorney General would have to send Congress a yearly report with a case count. It would cover cases where the last known location was confirmed or suspected to be on covered federal land or in territorial waters.
How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 1038
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about S. 1038
- What is S. 1038?
- Missing persons cases would get a new marker when the person was last seen on certain federal land or in U.S. territorial waters. The government would also send Congress a yearly count of those cases. The bill does not add new search or investigation powers.
- How do I support or oppose S. 1038?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about S. 1038?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain S. 1038 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.
