I 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 3815

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide expanded protections 

against the misuse of public safety officer uniforms, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2004

Ms. SLAUGHTER (for herself and Mr. HOUGHTON) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide expanded 

protections against the misuse of public safety officer 

uniforms, and for other purposes.

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Badge and Uniform 

5 Security and Trustworthiness Act of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER UNIFORMS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 716 of title 18, United 

8 States Code, is amended—
2

•HR 3815 IH 

1 (1) by striking ‘‘police badge’’ each place it ap2 pears in subsections (a) and (b) and inserting ‘‘pub3 lic safety officer insignia or article of clothing’’; 

4 (2) in each of paragraphs (2) and (4) of sub5 section (a), by striking ‘‘badge of the police’’ and in6 serting ‘‘public safety officer insignia or article of 

7 clothing’’; 

8 (3) in subsection (b)—

9 (A) by striking ‘‘the badge’’ and inserting 

10 ‘‘the insignia or article of clothing’’; and 

11 (B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (4); 

12 (4) so that subsection (c) reads as follows: 

13 ‘‘(c) As used in this section—

14 ‘‘(1) the term ‘genuine public safety officer in15 signia or article of clothing’ means an article of dis16 tinctive clothing or insignia, including a badge, em17 blem or identification card, that is an indicium of 

18 the authority of a public safety officer; 

19 ‘‘(2) the term ‘public safety officer’ means any 

20 officer or employee of a Federal law enforcement 

21 agency or of any State, or local law enforcement 

22 agency; and 

23 ‘‘(3) the term ‘Federal law enforcement agency’ 

24 means the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration 

25 Services, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protec-
3

•HR 3815 IH 

1 tion, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs En2 forcement, the Transportation Safety Agency, the 

3 Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforce4 ment Administration, the Secret Service, the Coast 

5 Guard, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Fire6 arms, the Federal Marshal Service, the United 

7 States Park Police, the United States Capitol Police, 

8 and any other Federal entity determined to be a law 

9 enforcement agency by the Attorney General or the 

10 Secretary of Homeland Security.’’; and 

11 (5) in the heading for the section, by striking 

12 ‘‘Police badges’’ and inserting ‘‘Public safety officer 

13 insignia and clothing’’. 

14 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO TABLE OF SEC15 TIONS.—The item in the table of sections at the beginning 

16 of chapter 33 of title 18, United States Code, relating to 

17 section 716 is amended by striking ‘‘Police badges’’ and 

18 inserting ‘‘Public safety officer insignia and clothing’’. 

19 SEC. 3. DIRECTION TO SENTENCING COMMISSION. 

20 The United States Sentencing Commission is directed 

21 to make appropriate amendments to sentencing guidelines, 

22 policy statements, and official commentary to assure that 

23 the sentence imposed on a defendant who is convicted of 

24 a Federal offense while wearing or displaying public safety 

25 officer insignia and clothing received in violation of section 
4

•HR 3815 IH 

1 716 of title 18. United States Code, reflects the gravity 

2 of this aggravating factor.

Æ