Protect and Serve Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1551 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1551

  To amend title 18, United States Code, to punish criminal offenses
      targeting law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2025

Mr. Rutherford (for himself, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr. Stauber, Mr. Golden of
    Maine, Mr. Hern of Oklahoma, and Mr. Fitzgerald) introduced the
  following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To amend title 18, United States Code, to punish criminal offenses
      targeting law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Protect and Serve Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. CRIMES TARGETING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 120. Crimes targeting law enforcement officers
    ``(a) In General.--Whoever, in any circumstance described in
subsection (b), willfully causes serious bodily injury to a person
because of that person's status as a law enforcement officer, or
attempts to do so--
            ``(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined in
        accordance with this title, or both; and
            ``(2) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for
        life, fined in accordance with this title, or both, if--
                    ``(A) death results from the offense; or
                    ``(B) the offense includes kidnapping or an attempt
                to kidnap, or an attempt to kill.
    ``(b) Circumstances Described.--For purposes of subsection (a), the
circumstances described in this subsection are that--
            ``(1) the conduct described in subsection (a) occurs during
        the course of, or as the result of, the travel of the defendant
        or the victim--
                    ``(A) across a State line or national border; or
                    ``(B) using a channel, facility, or instrumentality
                of interstate or foreign commerce;
            ``(2) in connection with the conduct described in
        subsection (a), the defendant employs a firearm, dangerous
        weapon, explosive or incendiary device, or other weapon that
        has traveled in interstate or foreign commerce;
            ``(3) the conduct described in subsection (a) occurs on
        Federal property or in interference of Federal actors; and
            ``(4) the victim is a Federal law enforcement officer.
    ``(c) Certification Requirement.--
            ``(1) In general.--No prosecution of any offense described
        in this section may be undertaken by the United States, except
        under the certification in writing of the Attorney General, or
        a designee, that--
                    ``(A) the State has requested that the Federal
                Government assume jurisdiction; or
                    ``(B) a prosecution by the United States is in the
                public interest and necessary to secure substantial
                justice. To determine whether a prosecution meets this
                standard, the Attorney General shall consider:
                            ``(i) the verdict or sentence obtained
                        pursuant to State charges;
                            ``(ii) the extent of planning and
                        premeditation;
                            ``(iii) the intended outcome of the
                        conduct;
                            ``(iv) disregard for human life, including
                        collateral damage to unintended victims; and
                            ``(v) benefit to public safety from Federal
                        prosecution.
            ``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection
        shall be construed to limit the authority of Federal officers,
        or a Federal grand jury, to investigate possible violations of
        this section.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Law enforcement officer.--The term `law enforcement
        officer' means an employee of a governmental or public agency
        who is authorized by law--
                    ``(A) to engage in or supervise the prevention,
                detection, or the investigation of any criminal
                violation of law; or
                    ``(B) to engage in or supervise the detention or
                the incarceration of any person for any criminal
                violation of law.
            ``(2) State.--The term `State' means a State of the United
        States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth,
        territory, or possession of the United States.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``120. Crimes targeting law enforcement officers.''.
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