II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2252 

To increase the penalties for ambushing a 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 increase the penalties for ambushing a 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 AMBUSH. 

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 

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


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1 or perceived status of the person as a law enforcement 

2 officer, by ambushing the person— 

3 ‘‘(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 30 

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

5 and 

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

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

8 both, if— 

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

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

11 attempt to kidnap, or an attempt to kill. 

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

13 subsection (a), the circumstances described in this sub14 section are that— 

15 ‘‘(1) the conduct described in subsection (a) oc16 curs during the course of, or as the result of, the 

17 travel of the defendant or the victim— 

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

19 or 

20 ‘‘(B) using a channel, facility, or instru21 mentality of interstate or foreign commerce; 

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

23 instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in 

24 connection with the conduct described in subsection 

25 (a); 


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

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

3 dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device, or 

4 other weapon that has traveled in interstate or for5 eign commerce; or 

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

7 ‘‘(A) interferes with commercial or other 

8 economic activity in which the victim is engaged 

9 at the time of the conduct; or 

10 ‘‘(B) otherwise affects interstate or foreign 

11 commerce. 

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

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

14 ‘law enforcement officer’ means an employee of a 

15 governmental or public agency who is authorized by 

16 law— 

17 ‘‘(A) to engage in or supervise the preven18 tion, detention, investigation, or the incarcer19 ation of any person for any criminal violation of 

20 law; and 

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

22 any criminal violation of law. 

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

24 District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other 

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


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

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

3 by adding at the end the following: 

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

Æ 


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