I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8609 
To limit the extent to which certain Federal law enforcement agencies may 
be permitted to conduct law enforcement functions in a jurisdiction 
without the approval of such jurisdiction, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 16, 2020 
Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. 
ESCOBAR, Mrs. HAYES, and Ms. NORTON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition 
to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and In-
frastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To limit the extent to which certain Federal law enforcement 
agencies may be permitted to conduct law enforcement 
functions in a jurisdiction without the approval of such 
jurisdiction, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Peaceful Pro-
tests Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:12 Nov 06, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8609.IH
H8609
SEC. 2. LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. 
(a) POWERS OF ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL.—Sec-
tion 508(a)(5) of the Controlled Substances Act is amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(5) perform such law enforcement duties as 
the Attorney General may designate as necessary to 
enforce the controlled substances laws of the United 
States, which shall not include any law enforcement 
duty that does not relate to, arise from, or supple-
ment investigations of matters concerning drugs.’’. 
(b) U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE POWERS
AND DU-
TIES.—Section 566(c) of title 28, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after the period at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘The United States Marshals Service may not dep-
utize a law enforcement officer of a State (or any unit 
of local government within a State), Indian tribe, territory, 
or the District of Columbia, unless pursuant to a request 
by the chief executive of the appropriate State, Indian 
tribe, territory, or the District of Columbia. The United 
States Marshals Service may not deputize any other law 
enforcement officer of the Federal Government, unless 
pursuant to a request by the chief executive of the appro-
priate State, Indian tribe, territory, or the District of Co-
lumbia.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:54 Nov 05, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8609.IH
H8609
(c) LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY 
OF HOMELAND SECURITY.—Section 1315(b) of title 40, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to paragraph (3), the 
Secretary’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) PROTESTS.—The Secretary may not des-
ignate additional employees of the Department of 
Homeland Security as officers and agents for duty 
in connection with the protection of property owned 
or occupied by the Federal Government, or persons 
on the property, in any area in which protest activity 
is occurring, unless pursuant to a request by the 
chief executive of the appropriate State, Indian 
tribe, territory, or the District of Columbia. This 
paragraph shall not apply to the designation of em-
ployees transferred to the Department of Homeland 
Security from the Office of the Federal Protective 
Service of the General Services Administration pur-
suant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:49 Nov 01, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8609.IH
H8609