Back the Blue Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced
Summary
Strengthens federal criminal penalties and legal protections for law enforcement, judges, and other public safety officers. This bill would create new federal crimes for killing or attempting to kill those officials, add a flight-to-avoid-prosecution offense, expand qualified officers' carry and self-defense rights in some federal facilities and school zones, and narrow some civil and habeas remedies.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
More carry rights for law officers
If enacted, sworn and qualified retired officers would be allowed to carry or possess firearms in more federal places. The bill would let officers deposit firearms in secure storage areas inside certain federal and court buildings for authorized users. It would add magazines to the concealed‑carry rules for qualified officers and extend the school‑zone exception to those officers. The Attorney General would write implementing rules within 60 days and the bill would define covered facility security levels.
New federal assault crime for officers
If enacted, the bill would create a federal crime for assaulting state or local officers who work for agencies that get federal funding, when the attack is because of their duties. Penalties would be tiered: roughly 2–10 years for bodily injury, 5–20 years for substantial injury, at least 10 years for serious injury, and at least 20 years if a deadly weapon was used. The Justice Department would normally need a written certification from the Attorney General to prosecute. Non‑death offenses would have a seven‑year time limit to bring charges; killings would have no time limit.
Crime for fleeing to avoid prosecution
If enacted, the bill would make interstate or foreign travel a federal crime when done with the intent to avoid prosecution or custody for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a federal judge, federal law enforcement officer, or a federally funded public safety officer. The travel offense would add at least 10 years in prison on top of other penalties.
Federal crime to kill judges and officers
If enacted, the bill would make it a federal crime to kill, attempt to kill, or conspire to kill a U.S. judge, a federal law enforcement officer, or a federally funded public safety officer because of their duties or while on duty. Penalties would start at 10 years and could include life or, if death results, 30 years to life or the death penalty, plus fines.
New death‑penalty factor for officers
If enacted, the bill would add a new aggravating factor that federal prosecutors and courts could use in death‑penalty cases. Killings or attempted killings of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, or first responders could count as an aggravating circumstance under federal capital sentencing rules. This change would take effect upon enactment.
Limits on civil damages and fee awards
If enacted, the bill would narrow remedies in some civil suits. Courts would limit injunctive relief against judges acting in their judicial role, and judges would generally be protected from fee awards unless they clearly acted beyond their power. Plaintiffs whose misconduct likely amounted to a felony or violent crime could only get out‑of‑pocket monetary losses and could not recover attorneys' fees.
Tightened habeas rules for officer murders
If enacted, the bill would restrict federal habeas relief for people convicted in state court of killing a judge or public safety officer. It would add new timing rules and bar federal courts from re‑hearing sentencing claims already decided in state court. It would limit stays of state death sentences and disallow Rule 60(b)(6) in these cases. The rules would apply to cases pending on or after enactment, with narrow exceptions and time limits restarting on the date of enactment.
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
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Shelley Capito
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
Bill Hagerty
TN • R
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
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
Markwayne Mullin
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
Mike Rounds
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
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 12/10/2025
Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 12/15/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov