U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and 35 Senate Republicans have introduced the Back the Blue Act, a bill aimed at increasing penalties for violent attacks on law enforcement officers and providing additional protections for officers.
Graham stated, “Over this year, we’ve seen a dramatic spike in attacks on police officers, ICE agents and other law enforcement officials. It’s time for Congress to stand with the very people who put their lives on the line to keep us safe. The Back the Blue Act gives federal prosecutors additional tools to hold criminals accountable and would assist the Trump Administration in their effort to crack down on violent crime in our nation’s capital and across the country.”
The proposed legislation would create new federal crimes related to killing or attempting to kill federal judges, law enforcement officers, or federally funded public safety officers. If death results from such an act, offenders could face the death penalty and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years; otherwise, there would be a minimum sentence of 10 years. Assaulting federally funded law enforcement officers would also become a new federal crime with escalating penalties depending on injury severity and weapon use. Prosecution under these provisions requires certification by the Attorney General.
Additionally, fleeing across state lines to avoid prosecution for killing or attempting to kill protected officials would carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
The bill clarifies that murdering or attempting to murder a law enforcement officer or first responder is considered an aggravating factor in federal death penalty cases. It also sets limits on federal courts’ review of challenges to state-court convictions involving murders of public safety officers during official duties.
The legislation restricts civil damages and attorney’s fees recoverable by individuals injured while committing felonies or violent crimes. Furthermore, it expands self-defense rights for law enforcement by allowing them—subject to certain regulations—to carry firearms into federal facilities and jurisdictions where such possession is typically prohibited.
Several major law enforcement organizations have endorsed the bill, including the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA), National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), and Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD.
Other cosponsors include Senators Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama).
