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119-s-3366119th Congress

Back the Blue Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Cornyn, John [R-TX]

Introduced

Summary

Stronger federal penalties for killing or attacking judges and public safety officers. The bill creates new federal crimes and raises penalties for murders, assaults, and related flight offenses against judges, federal law enforcement, and federally funded public safety officers.

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  • Law enforcement, judges, and federally funded public safety officers face a new federal murder offense that bans killing, attempting, or conspiring to kill these officials; penalties include fines and prison terms of at least 10 years or life, and if death results penalties of at least 30 years up to life and, in some cases, death.
  • Federally funded state and local law enforcement officers and former officers are covered by a new assault offense with penalties from 2 to 20 years when injury or a weapon is involved and up to 1 year in other cases. Federal prosecutions require written certification by the Attorney General and a 7-year statute of limitations for non-death offenses.
  • The bill also makes interstate or foreign travel to avoid prosecution for killing covered officials a federal crime carrying at least 10 years in addition to other penalties and expands related protections in habeas corpus, damages, and self-defense regimes.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Stronger federal penalties for judges and officers

If enacted, this bill would create new federal crimes and tougher penalties to protect judges, federal law enforcement, and state or local public safety officers who work for agencies that get federal funds. It would make killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a covered judge or officer a federal offense with fines and prison of not less than 10 years or for life. If death results, the bill would require not less than 30 years and up to life, and could permit the death penalty in certain cases. It would also create a federal assault crime for "federally funded State or local law enforcement officers" with tiered penalties: 2–10 years for bodily injury; 5–20 years for substantial bodily injury; at least 10 years for serious bodily injury; at least 20 years if a deadly or dangerous weapon is used; and up to 1 year in other cases. Federal prosecutions for assaults would generally require a written certification from the Attorney General. The bill would also make interstate or foreign travel to avoid prosecution for these killing offenses a federal crime with at least a 10-year prison term in addition to other penalties. The bill would preserve federal investigative authority and set a 7-year statute of limitations for non-death offenses and no time limit for death offenses.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cornyn, John [R-TX]

TX • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Hagerty, Bill [R-TN]

    TN • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS]

    MS • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]

    KS • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]

    LA • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 12/4/2025

  • Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 12/10/2025

  • Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 12/15/2025

  • Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 2/9/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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