Members of Congress on Wednesday introduced two pieces of legislation in efforts to protect members of law enforcement.
Rep. Don Bacon introduced the "Back the Blue Act" and Rep. John Rutherford introduced the "Protect and Serve Act."
According to a press release, the "Back the Blue Act" would:
- Create a new federal crime for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a federal judge, federal law enforcement officer, or federally funded public safety officer.
- Create a new federal crime for assaulting a federally funded law enforcement officer, with escalating penalties, including mandatory minimums, based on the extent of any injury and the use of a dangerous weapon.
- Create a new federal crime for interstate flight from justice to avoid prosecution for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a federal judge, federal law enforcement officer, or federally funded public safety officer.
- Create a specific Aggravating Factor for Federal Death Penalty Prosecutions
- Expand Self-Defense and Second Amendment Rights for Law Enforcement Officers
- Open up Grant Funding to Strengthen Relationships Between Police and Communities
The "Protect and Serve Act" would:
- Create enhanced penalties for anyone who targets and purposefully harms law enforcement officers. This applies to attacks on any federal officer, or state or local officer if the attacker or officer crosses state lines, uses a channel of interstate commerce, uses a firearm or weapon that traveled in interstate commerce, or if the act affects interstate or foreign commerce.
- Create a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment for someone who attacks and injures an officer and a penalty of life in prison for someone who kills or kidnaps an officer.
The office of Kern County Congressman Kevin McCarthy said he will be at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. tomorrow as part of a "Back the Blue Bike Tour" as he pushes support for the legislation.
