Back the Blue Act of 2017
Latest action · Jun 7, 2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMay 16, 2017
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Back the Blue Act of 2017
This bill amends the federal criminal code:
- to establish new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer;
- to expand the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder; and
- to broaden the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms.
The bill amends the federal judicial code to limit federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge.
It amends the Revised Statutes of the United States to limit the recovery of compensatory damages and prohibit the recovery of attorney's fees by an individual for a violation of rights that occurs as a result of (or in the course of) conduct that constitutes a felony or crime of violence.
Finally, it directs the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to promote trust and improve relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
Cosponsors 8
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from May 16, 2017 to Nov 2, 2017; 5 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-LA | Garret Graves | Original | May 16, 2017 |
| R-TX | Lamar Smith | Original | May 16, 2017 |
| R-TX | Michael T. McCaul | Original | May 16, 2017 |
| R-TX | Roger Williams | Original | May 16, 2017 |
| R-OH | Steve Stivers | Original | May 16, 2017 |
| R-TX | Pete Olson | Jun 15, 2017 | |
| R-OH | Bill Johnson | Jun 20, 2017 | |
| R-PA | Lou Barletta | Nov 2, 2017 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred May 16, 2017 |
| Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee | Referred Jun 7, 2017 | |
| Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee | Referred Jun 7, 2017 |
Actions 4
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jun 7, 2017Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
- Jun 7, 2017Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
- May 16, 2017Introduced in House
- May 16, 2017Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In the Congressional Record 1
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 163, no. 84, May 16, 2017, page H4223.
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 1134 | Back the Blue Act of 2017 | Identical bill | May 16, 2017 |
| HR 5809 | Back the Blue Act of 2016 | Reintroduction of | Aug 11, 2016 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To protect law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Back the Blue Act of 2017
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.
- Assault and harassment offenses
- Civil actions and liability
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
- Criminal procedure and sentencing
- Detention of persons
- Firearms and explosives
- Fires
- First responders and emergency personnel
- Judges
- Law enforcement administration and funding
- Law enforcement officers
- Legal fees and court costs
- Violent crime
- Worker safety and health
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 16, 2017Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
