HR 3079 · 118th Congress 2023–2025, ended

Back the Blue Act of 2023

Introduced May 5, 2023 Originated House Sponsor Don Bacon R-NE

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · May 5, 2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

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.

  1. IntroducedMay 5, 2023
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Back the Blue Act of 2023

This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer.

Additionally, the bill

  • expands 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;
  • broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and
  • limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge.

Cosponsors 22

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from May 5, 2023 to Jun 25, 2024; 16 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-KYAndy BarrOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-NYAnthony D'EspositoOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-OHBill JohnsonOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-WADan NewhouseOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-PADaniel MeuserOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-CADoug LaMalfaOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-NYElise M. StefanikOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-FLGus M. BilirakisOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-ALJerry L. CarlOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-NVMark E. AmodeiOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-NYMichael LawlerOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-NYNick LaLotaOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-NCRichard HudsonOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-GARick W. AllenOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-OHRobert E. LattaOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-TXRonny JacksonOriginalMay 5, 2023
R-INErin HouchinMay 15, 2023
R-KSTracey MannJun 30, 2023
R-TXTony GonzalesSep 14, 2023
R-VARobert J. WittmanJan 10, 2024
R-VAJennifer A. KiggansApr 30, 2024
R-WIDerrick Van OrdenJun 25, 2024

Committees 1

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseJudiciary Committee
Referred May 5, 2023

Actions 2

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. May 5, 2023Introduced in House
  2. May 5, 2023Referred 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.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
HouseLists H2136–H2138H.R. 3079–3126—May 5, 2023

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

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 The single subject of this legislation is: To protect law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 169, no. 77, May 5, 2023, page H2136.

Related bills 2

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
HR 355Back the Blue Act of 2023Related billJan 13, 2023
S 1569Back the Blue Act of 2023Related billMay 11, 2023

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 Title(s) as Introduced
Back the Blue Act of 2023

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. May 5, 2023Introduced in House

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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.