Thin Blue Line Act

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 72 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. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 4, 2021 Mr. BUCHANAN 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 pen- alty based on the status of the victim. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Thin Blue Line Act’’. 4 SEC. 2. AGGRAVATING FACTORS FOR DEATH PENALTY. 5 Section 3592(c) of title 18, United States Code, is 6 amended by inserting after paragraph (16) the following: 7 ‘‘(17) KILLING OR TARGETING OF LAW EN- 8 FORCEMENT OFFICER.— 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:51 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H72.IH H72 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 72 IH ‘‘(A) The defendant killed or attempted to 1 kill, in the circumstance described in subpara- 2 graph (B), a person who is authorized by law— 3 ‘‘(i) to engage in or supervise the pre- 4 vention, detention, investigation, or pros- 5 ecution, or the incarceration of any person 6 for any criminal violation of law; 7 ‘‘(ii) to apprehend, arrest, or pros- 8 ecute an individual for any criminal viola- 9 tion of law; or 10 ‘‘(iii) to be a firefighter or other first 11 responder. 12 ‘‘(B) The circumstance referred to in sub- 13 paragraph (A) is that the person was killed or 14 targeted— 15 ‘‘(i) while he or she was engaged in 16 the performance of his or her official du- 17 ties; 18 ‘‘(ii) because of the performance of his 19 or her official duties; or 20 ‘‘(iii) because of his or her status as 21 a public official or employee.’’. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 18:51 Jan 13, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H72.IH H72 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS