# Plain Language Summary: Federal Officer Assault Penalties Bill

This bill makes the punishments for attacking federal officers significantly harsher by increasing the maximum penalties by 50 percent. Right now, if someone assaults a federal officer—like an FBI agent, Secret Service agent, park ranger, or other federal law enforcement—there are legal limits on how long they can be sentenced to prison. This bill raises those maximum prison sentences by half, meaning judges would have the ability to hand down much longer sentences for these crimes.

The bill applies to anyone who physically attacks or injures a federal officer while that officer is performing their job. This includes situations where someone hits, punches, stabs, or shoots at federal law enforcement. By increasing the maximum penalties, the law aims to deter people from committing these crimes and to give judges more flexibility in sentencing those who do. Someone convicted under the tougher penalties could potentially spend significantly more years in federal prison than they would have under current law.

The practical effect is that federal prosecutors will have stronger leverage when negotiating with defendants, and judges will have the authority to impose longer sentences as punishment. This could mean the difference between someone serving 5 years versus 7 or 8 years in prison for the same crime. The bill reflects a policy choice that assaulting federal officers is serious enough to warrant harsher consequences than current law allows.

A bill to increase the maximum penalties for assaulting Federal officers by 50 percent.

Hawley, Josh

 <p>This bill increases the statutory maximum penalties for the following criminal offenses:</p> <ul> <li> assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain federal officers or employees using a deadly or dangerous weapon or by inflicting bodily injury; </li> <li>assaulting a family member of certain federal officials to retaliate against or to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the federal official; and </li> <li>assaulting certain former federal officials or their family members to retaliate against the former federal official. </li> </ul>