II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2253 

To establish a separate criminal offense for targeting an individual based 

on their status as law enforcement officer. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 24, 2021 

Mr. HAWLEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To establish a separate criminal offense for targeting an 

individual based on their status as law enforcement officer. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. PROTECTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS 

4 FROM TARGETING. 

5 (a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 7 of title 18, United 

6 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol7 lowing: 

8 ‘‘§ 120. Crimes targeting law enforcement officers 

9 ‘‘(a) OFFENSE.—Whoever, in any circumstance de10 scribed in subsection (b), knowingly causes bodily injury 


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•S 2253 IS

1 to any person, or attempts to do so, because of the actual 

2 or perceived status of the person as a law enforcement 

3 officer— 

4 ‘‘(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 20 

5 years, fined in accordance with this title, or both; 

6 and 

7 ‘‘(2) shall be imprisoned for any term of years 

8 or for life, fined in accordance with this title, or 

9 both, if— 

10 ‘‘(A) death results from the offense; or 

11 ‘‘(B) the offense includes kidnapping or an 

12 attempt to kidnap, or an attempt to kill. 

13 ‘‘(b) CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED.—For purposes of 

14 subsection (a), the circumstances described in this sub15 section are that— 

16 ‘‘(1) the conduct described in subsection (a) oc17 curs during the course of, or as the result of, the 

18 travel of the defendant or the victim— 

19 ‘‘(A) across a State line or national border; 

20 or 

21 ‘‘(B) using a channel, facility, or instru22 mentality of interstate or foreign commerce; 

23 ‘‘(2) the defendant uses a channel, facility, or 

24 instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in 


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1 connection with the conduct described in subsection 

2 (a); 

3 ‘‘(3) in connection with the conduct described in 

4 subsection (a), the defendant employs a firearm, 

5 dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device, or 

6 other weapon that has traveled in interstate or for7 eign commerce; or 

8 ‘‘(4) the conduct described in subsection (a)— 

9 ‘‘(A) interferes with commercial or other 

10 economic activity in which the victim is engaged 

11 at the time of the conduct; or 

12 ‘‘(B) otherwise affects interstate or foreign 

13 commerce. 

14 ‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

15 ‘‘(1) LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.—The term 

16 ‘law enforcement officer’ means an employee of a 

17 governmental or public agency who is authorized by 

18 law— 

19 ‘‘(A) to engage in or supervise the preven20 tion, detention, investigation, or the incarcer21 ation of any person for any criminal violation of 

22 law; and 

23 ‘‘(B) to apprehend or arrest a person for 

24 any criminal violation of law. 


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1 ‘‘(2) STATE.—The term ‘State’ includes the 

2 District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other 

3 territory or possession of the United States.’’. 

4 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

5 for chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 

6 by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘120. Crimes targeting law enforcement officers.’’. 

Æ 


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