U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) on Jan. 14 led 14 of his Republican colleagues in proposing legislation that would toughen penalties against people who kill cops and first responders.
“Police officers and first responders risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe,” Rep. Buchanan said. “I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, which previously passed the House with broad bipartisan support, and make it clear to would-be cop killers that if you target an officer, there will be severe consequences.”
According to the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), 342 officers were shot in the line of duty last year, 50 of whom were killed. This represents an 8 percent increase in deaths from 2023. There were 61 ambush-style attacks on law enforcement officers in 2024, resulting in 79 officers shot, 18 of whom were killed, the organization said.
Rep. Buchanan sponsored the Thin Blue Line Act, H.R. 378, which would make the murder or attempted murder of a police officer or other first responders an “aggravating” factor in death penalty determinations, according to a bill summary provided by the congressman’s staff.
If enacted, H.R. 378 would be applicable whether the law enforcement officer or first responder is murdered on duty, because of the performance of their duty or because of their status as a public official.
The measure also would cover federal, state, and local police officers, firefighters, and first responders. The only requirement would be that the homicide involves federal jurisdiction, such as the interstate homicide of an officer, or an officer is killed on federal land or while serving as part of a joint task force, the summary says.
H.R. 378 has been endorsed by numerous law enforcement organizations and officials, including the National FOP, Manatee County (Fla.) Sheriff Rick Wells, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association, and the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association.
The bill has 14 GOP original cosponsors, including U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE), Mike Bost (R-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA). U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and John Hoeven (R-ND) joined eight other Republicans to introduce the companion bill, S. 83, in the Senate.