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To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide additional aggravating factors for the imposition of the death penalty based on the status of the victim.
Summary
This bill amends federal law to add a new aggravating factor that may be considered when imposing the death penalty in federal capital cases. The new aggravating factor applies when a defendant kills or attempts to kill a law enforcement officer, prosecutor, or first responder while that person is engaged in official duties, because of their official duties, or because of their status as a public official or employee. The bill specifies that this applies to individuals authorized by law to engage in law enforcement, investigation, prosecution, or incarceration, or to be firefighters or other first responders. Aggravating factors can influence a judge or jury's decision on whether to impose capital punishment in federal death penalty cases.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
42 cosponsors
- Rep. Amodei, Mark E. [R-NV-2] (R-NV)
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE)
- Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] (R-FL)
- Rep. Bost, Mike [R-IL-12] (R-IL)
- Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2] (R-TN)
- Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] (R-CA)
- Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15] (R-OH)
- Rep. De La Cruz, Monica [R-TX-15] (R-TX)
- Rep. Diaz-Balart, Mario [R-FL-26] (R-FL)
- Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4] (R-MS)
- Rep. Fedorchak, Julie [R-ND-At Large] (R-ND)
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA)
- Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7] (R-SC)
- Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-28] (R-FL)
- Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23] (R-TX)
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ)
- Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2] (R-KY)
- Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] (R-LA)
- Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9] (R-IN)
- Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC)
- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Kustoff, David [R-TN-8] (R-TN)
- Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16] (R-IL)
- Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1] (R-NY)
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY)
- Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13] (R-FL)
- Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1] (R-SC)
- Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11] (R-NY)
- Rep. McGuire, John J. [R-VA-5] (R-VA)
- Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9] (R-PA)
- Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14] (R-NC)
- Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22] (R-TX)
- Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA)
- Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] (R-TX)
- Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6] (R-IN)
- Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] (R-FL)
- Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22] (R-CA)
- Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3] (R-WI)
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX)
- Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25] (R-TX)
- Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2] (R-IN)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Vern Buchanan’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- SELECT MEDICAL CORPORATION $43,200
- FLORIDA CRYSTALS $16,100
- DERICK DERMATOLOGY $13,200
- BLACKSTONE $8,100
- CASL $7,609
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Vern Buchanan → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jan 14, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
- Jan 14, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 14, 2025
Mr. Buchanan (for himself, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Bost, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. LaLota, Ms. De La Cruz, Mrs. Houchin, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Valadao, and Mr. Obernolte) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide additional aggravating factors for the imposition of the death penalty based on the status of the victim.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Thin Blue Line Act”.
SEC. 2. AGGRAVATING FACTORS FOR DEATH PENALTY.
Section 3592(c) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (16) the following:
“(17) Killing or targeting of law enforcement officer.—
“(A) The defendant killed or attempted to kill, in the circumstance described in subparagraph (B), a person who is authorized by law—
“(i) to engage in or supervise the prevention, detention, investigation, or prosecution, or the incarceration of any person for any criminal violation of law;
“(ii) to apprehend, arrest, or prosecute an individual for any criminal violation of law; or
“(iii) to be a firefighter or other first responder.
“(B) The circumstance referred to in subparagraph
(A) is that the person was killed or targeted—
“(i) while he or she was engaged in the performance of his or her official duties;
“(ii) because of the performance of his or her official duties; or
“(iii) because of his or her status as a public official or employee.”. <all>
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