This bill, titled the "Protect Our Heroes Act of 2025," aims to enhance protections for federal, state, and local public safety officers and judicial officers. It establishes new federal criminal offenses for acts of violence against these individuals, recognizing their daily risks and recent targeting. The legislation broadly defines "public safety officer" to include law enforcement, firefighters, chaplains, rescue squad members, and ambulance crews, while "judicial officer" encompasses judges, prosecutors, court staff, and corrections personnel. The bill creates a new federal offense for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a public safety or judicial officer, whether on duty or due to past official actions. This offense carries severe penalties, including imprisonment for not less than 10 years up to life, or the death penalty if death results. Additionally, it establishes a federal offense for assaulting or attempting to assault these officers, with penalties varying based on the severity of injury or use of a deadly weapon, ranging from up to one year to not less than 20 years imprisonment. These new offenses apply when there is a connection to interstate commerce, such as travel across state lines, use of interstate channels, or if the victim is a federal officer, U.S. judge, or a federally funded public safety officer. The bill also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to implement a minimum 5-level sentencing enhancement for offenders who lure victims for the purpose of committing these crimes. This aims to ensure consistent and appropriate punishment for such acts.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Crime and Law Enforcement
Protect Our Heroes Act of 2025
USA119th CongressS-1766| Senate
| Updated: 5/14/2025
This bill, titled the "Protect Our Heroes Act of 2025," aims to enhance protections for federal, state, and local public safety officers and judicial officers. It establishes new federal criminal offenses for acts of violence against these individuals, recognizing their daily risks and recent targeting. The legislation broadly defines "public safety officer" to include law enforcement, firefighters, chaplains, rescue squad members, and ambulance crews, while "judicial officer" encompasses judges, prosecutors, court staff, and corrections personnel. The bill creates a new federal offense for killing, attempting to kill, or conspiring to kill a public safety or judicial officer, whether on duty or due to past official actions. This offense carries severe penalties, including imprisonment for not less than 10 years up to life, or the death penalty if death results. Additionally, it establishes a federal offense for assaulting or attempting to assault these officers, with penalties varying based on the severity of injury or use of a deadly weapon, ranging from up to one year to not less than 20 years imprisonment. These new offenses apply when there is a connection to interstate commerce, such as travel across state lines, use of interstate channels, or if the victim is a federal officer, U.S. judge, or a federally funded public safety officer. The bill also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to implement a minimum 5-level sentencing enhancement for offenders who lure victims for the purpose of committing these crimes. This aims to ensure consistent and appropriate punishment for such acts.