Senator Cornyn

The Back the Blue Act

Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to serve families across Texas. Violent criminals who target those who protect our communities should face swift and tough penalties, and the Back the Blue Act sends that clear message.

Fighting dangerous criminals and providing justice to victims are some of our most important obligations. I will always stand strong for our law enforcement officers, making sure they have the resources needed to keep Texas safe and secure. That’s why 39 of my Senate Republican colleagues joined me to introduce the Back the Blue Act, which would increase penalties for criminals who target law enforcement officers and provide new tools for officers to protect themselves.

SRC34301

My Bill Will:

Strengthen Laws to Protect Police Officers

Create Aggravating Factor & Limit Federal Habeas Relief for Murders of Officers

Expand Self-Defense Rights for Officers

Strengthen Laws to Protect Police Officers

  • The bill creates 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. The offender would be subject to the death penalty and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years if death results; the offender would otherwise face a minimum sentence of 10 years.
  • This legislation creates 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. However, no prosecution can be commenced absent certification by the Attorney General that prosecution is appropriate.
  • My bill creates 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. The offender would be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for this offense.

Create a Specific Aggravating Factor for Federal Death Penalty Prosecutions

  • The bill clarifies that the murder or attempted murder of a law enforcement officer or first responder is a statutory aggravating factor for purposes of the federal death penalty.

Limit Federal Habeas Relief for Murders of Law Enforcement Officers

  • My legislation imposes time limits and substantive limits on federal courts’ review of challenges to state-court convictions for crimes involving the murder of a public safety officer, when the public safety officer was engaged in the performance of official duties or on account of the performance of official duties. These changes are consistent with the fast-track procedures created in 1996, which are applied to federal death penalty cases.

Expand Self-Defense and Second Amendment Rights for Law Enforcement Officers

  • This bill allows law enforcement officers, subject to limited regulation, to carry firearms into federal facilities and other jurisdictions where such possession is otherwise prohibited.

My Bill is Cosponsored by:

  • Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
  • Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC)
  • Senator Mike Braun (R-IN)
  • Senator John Boozman (R-AR)
  • Senator Katie Britt (R-AL)
  • Senator James Risch (R-IR)
  • Senator John Barrasso (R-WY)
  • Senator John Kennedy (R-LA)
  • Senator John Hoeven (R-ND)
  • Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)
  • Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
  • Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
  • Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
  • Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
  • Senator Rick Scott (R-FL)
  • Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
  • Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE)
  • Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
  • Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE)
  • Senator James Lankford (R-OK)
  • Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR)
  • Senator Ted Budd (R-NC)
  • Senator Bill Hagerty (R-NT)
  • Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
  • Senator Todd Young (R-IN)
  • Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS)
  • Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)
  • Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS)
  • Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
  • Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
  • Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
  • Senator Steve Daines (R-MT)
  • Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
  • Senator John Thune (R-SD)
  • Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO)
  • Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS)
  • Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
  • Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MS)
  • Senator Mike Lee (R-UT)

My Bill is Endorsed by:

SBA-NYPD-LOGO