Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON – Today during National Police Week, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced that he has introduced the Back the Blue Act. The bill would increase penalties against criminals who intentionally target law enforcement officers and provide new tools for officers to protect themselves. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s floor remarks are below, and video can be found here.
“This legislation sends a strong message to the more than 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in our country that we support them and we will not tolerate any act of violence against them, period. In recent years we’ve seen brutal, inexcusable attacks on law enforcement officers across the United States, including one in Texas that entirely rocked our state.”
“This bill makes clear our support for these public servants who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving us.”
Background on the Back the Blue Act:
Strengthens Laws to Protect Police Officers
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.
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.
Creates a new federal crime for
Creates a Specific Aggravating Factor for Federal Death Penalty Prosecutions
Clarifies that the murder or attempted murder of a law enforcement officer or first responder is a statutory aggravating favor for purposes of the federal death penalty.
Limits Federal Habeas Relief for Murders of Law Enforcement Officers
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.
Limits Recovery of Certain Damages and Fees for Individuals Engaged in Felonies
Limits the type of civil damages and attorney’s fees recoverable by a criminal as a result of purported injuries incurred during the commission of a felony or crime of violence.
Expands Self-Defense and Second Amendment Rights for Law Enforcement Officers
Allows law enforcement officers, subject to limited regulation, to carry firearms into federal facilities and other jurisdictions where such possession is otherwise prohibited.
Opens Up Funding to Strengthen Relationships Between Police and Communities
Expands opportunities to use grant funding to promote trust and improve relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve
Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees.
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