Back the Blue Act of 2023

Senate Bill

S. 1569

119th Congress

Back the Blue Act of 2023

In Committee

Introduced:Jul 8, 2025

Primary Sponsor

John Cornyn

R - TX

Cosponsors

41

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary

The Back the Blue Act of 2023 would create new federal crimes for killing, assaulting, or fleeing from the prosecution of killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. It would also expand the list of aggravating factors for the death penalty, broaden the authority of federal law enforcement to carry firearms, and limit federal court review of state court convictions for killing public safety officers or judges.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Introduced7/8/2025

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

ChamberSenate

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Back the Blue Act of 2023

The Back the Blue Act of 2023 would create new federal crimes for killing, assaulting, or fleeing from the prosecution of killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. It would also expand the list of aggravating factors for the death pen

Community Breakdown

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0 predictions

The Back the Blue Act of 2023 would create new federal crimes for killing, assaulting, or fleeing from the prosecution of killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. It would also expand the list of aggravating factors for the death penalty, broaden the authority of federal law enforcement to carry firearms, and limit federal court review of state court convictions for killing public safety officers or judges.

Bill Number: 1569
Introduced: 7/8/2025
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Policy Area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Back the Blue Act of 2023
Bill Number: 1569
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced: 7/8/2025
Summary: The Back the Blue Act of 2023 would create new federal crimes for killing, assaulting, or fleeing from the prosecution of killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. It would also expand the list of aggravating factors for the death penalty, broaden the authority of federal l

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

The Back the Blue Act of 2023 would create new federal crimes for killing, assaulting, or fleeing from the prosecution of killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. It would also expand the list of aggravating factors for the death penalty, broaden the authority of federal law enforcement to carry firearms, and limit federal court review of state court convictions for killing public safety officers or judges.

Last updated: 12/30/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service 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 <ul> <li>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; </li> <li>broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and</li> <li>limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge.</li> </ul>

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Establishes new federal crimes for killing, assaulting, or fleeing prosecution for killing certain public officials like judges and law enforcement officers
Expands the list of aggravating factors that can lead to the death penalty, including killing or attempting to kill law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, and first responders
Gives federal law enforcement broader authority to carry firearms
Limits federal court review of state convictions for killing public safety officers or judges

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would primarily impact law enforcement officers, judges, and other public safety personnel by providing stronger legal protections and harsher punishments for crimes committed against them. It could also affect defendants in criminal cases related to the killing of these officials, as their ability to appeal convictions in federal court would be limited.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

1569, 119th Congress (2025). "Back the Blue Act of 2023". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-1569

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