HR 7965 — Vote Without Fear Act

Summary

Prohibits knowingly possessing or causing a firearm to be present at a Federal election site or within 100 yards of an entrance, with penalties of up to 1 year imprisonment and/or fines.
Increases penalties to up to 5 years imprisonment for possession with intent that the firearm be used in committing a crime.
Applies enhanced penalties including murder or manslaughter charges if someone is killed during a violation or attack on a Federal election site.
Exempts law enforcement officers and authorized private security guards on duty from the prohibition.
Exempts firearms in vehicles within 100 yards if not removed or brandished, and lawful possession in residences, places of business, or private property.
Defines "Federal election site" as a building where federal, state, or local employees administer polling places or process and count ballots for Federal office elections.

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)

Rep. Ruiz, Raul (D-CA) [#25]

3 cosponsors

Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes (D-DC) [At-large]
Rep. Amo, Gabe (D-RI) [#1]
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. (D-NY) [#10]

Money behind the sponsor

Top reported contributors to Raul Ruiz’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.

Employer not reported $112,200
DAVITA $15,500
US ACUTE CARE SOLUTIONS $14,100
CHANDI GROUP USA, INC. $13,200
ST. GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY $13,200

Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Raul Ruiz → · Outside spending →

Actions (2)

Mar 17, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. · house
Mar 17, 2026 Introduced in House

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)

Introduced in House · Mar 17, 2026

Only one text version is on file, so there’s no earlier version to compare against yet.

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 17, 2026

Mr. Ruiz (for himself and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To prohibit the unauthorized possession of a firearm at a Federal election site.

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 “Vote Without Fear Act”.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON UNAUTHORIZED FIREARM POSSESSION AT A FEDERAL ELECTION SITE.

(a) In General.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “Sec. 935. Prohibition on unauthorized firearm possession at a Federal election site

“(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm in, or within 100 yards of an entrance to, a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a Federal election site, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.

“(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—

“(A) the possession of a firearm by a law enforcement officer employed by the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof, or a private security guard hired or arranged for by the owner or manager of a building in which there is a Federal election site, who is authorized by law to possess a firearm and who is on duty;

“(B) the possession of a firearm in a vehicle within 100 yards of an entrance to a Federal election site, if the firearm is not removed from the vehicle or brandished while the vehicle is in, or within 100 yards of the entrance to, the Federal election site; or

“(C) the otherwise lawful possession of a firearm in a place of residence, in a place of business, or on private property, in or within 100 yards of an entrance to a Federal election site.

“(b) Whoever, with intent that a firearm be used in the commission of a crime, knowingly possesses or causes to be present the firearm in, or within 100 yards of an entrance to, a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a Federal election site, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

“(c) A person who kills any person in the course of a violation of subsection (a) or (b), or in the course of an attack on a Federal election site, involving the use of a firearm, or attempts or conspires to do so, shall be punished as provided in sections 1111, 1112, 1113, and 1117.

“(d) In this section, the term ‘Federal election site’ means a building or any part thereof at which an employee of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof is engaged in—

“(1) the administration of a polling place in an election for Federal office; or

“(2) the processing or counting of ballots cast in such an election.”.

(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

“935. Prohibition on unauthorized firearm possession at a Federal election site.”. <all>

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