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To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide enhanced penalties for convicted murderers who kill or target America's public safety officers.
Summary
This bill amends federal death penalty law to add a new aggravating factor when someone kills or attempts to kill a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or first responder. The aggravating circumstance applies if the victim was targeted while performing official duties, because of their official duties, or because of their status as a public official. This would allow prosecutors to seek enhanced penalties, including the death penalty, in cases involving the murder of these public safety workers.
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)
- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX)
16 cosponsors
- Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN)
- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN)
- Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] (R-AR)
- Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL] (R-AL)
- Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC] (R-NC)
- Sen. Hagerty, Bill [R-TN] (R-TN)
- Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND] (R-ND)
- Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] (R-WI)
- Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV] (R-WV)
- Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA)
- Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] (R-OK)
- Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS] (R-KS)
- Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL] (R-FL)
- Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE] (R-NE)
- Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO] (R-MO)
- Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Ted Cruz’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $4,424,745
- ENTREPRENEUR $458,096
- RDV CORPORATION $39,600
- AMERICAN AIRLINES $29,632
- BLACKSTONE $27,400
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Ted Cruz → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Jan 14, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- Jan 14, 2025 Introduced in Senate
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.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 14, 2025
Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Budd, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Lankford) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide enhanced penalties for convicted murderers who kill or target America’s public safety officers.
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 officers.—
“(A) The defendant killed or attempted to kill, in a circumstance described in subparagraph (B), a person who is authorized by law—
“(i) to engage in or supervise the prevention, detention, investigation, or prosecution of, 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) A 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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