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<dc:title>119 HR 7898 IH: National Guard Protective Zone Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2026-03-12</dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">119th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">2d Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 7898</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20260312">March 12, 2026</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="B001325">Mrs. Biggs of South Carolina</sponsor> (for herself, <cosponsor name-id="D000616">Mr. DesJarlais</cosponsor>, <cosponsor name-id="H001077">Mr. Higgins of Louisiana</cosponsor>, and <cosponsor name-id="M001212">Mr. Moore of Alabama</cosponsor>) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HJU00">Committee on the Judiciary</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish criminal penalties for interfering with National Guard protective zones.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H59197D57BD884CF4854B8EAC10AE7D4A" style="OLC"> 
<section id="H0ACA4BB430A34BF1B28BF25BC60EE3BA" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>National Guard Protective Zone Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section> <section commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1D7F160F8BA744FBA5A3AA3F01EB1BDC"><enum>2.</enum><header>Interference with National Guard protective zone</header> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HFCFDC0EB1FA649689153C2AD8CE4DCCE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text><external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/67">Chapter 67</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
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<section id="H15C74EA893E6495D8EAEDFC6D37DF053"><enum>1390.</enum><header>Interference with National Guard protective zone</header>
<subsection id="HFB2D0E83FF114CAA931A7C87F83C24E0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In this section, the term <term>posted protective zone</term> means an area around a member of the National Guard—</text> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H15A42851286E4D8EA19F14843185EB5D"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the perimeter of which is not more than 15 feet from the member; and</text></paragraph>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4073F135C156467C9868F9A14075BB6E"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that is marked by a verbal warning, visible signage, barricade tape, or other reasonable means.</text></paragraph></subsection> <subsection id="HD957461BA19743A7B034720554683870"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Offense</header><text>It shall be unlawful, during a deployment authorized under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/10/15">chapter 15</external-xref> of title 10 or under title 32, for any person to knowingly enter or remain within a posted protective zone with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the official duties of a member of the National Guard who is within the posted protective zone.</text></subsection>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H0E89F473D14342BA8646C6897D840AE9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Penalties</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H969DF78355A243C087D76F556499421E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who violates subsection (b) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.</text></paragraph> <paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA8AF04E8495D430B8CBB9459ACD77A8B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Aggravated penalty</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, in the course of committing a violation of subsection (b), a person makes physical contact with, throws an object at, or spits on the member of the National Guard, the maximum term of imprisonment under paragraph (1) shall be 5 years.</text></paragraph></subsection>
<subsection id="H7CEE261F71A843B88B95798D5B0B8583"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Rule of construction</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit activity protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that is conducted outside a posted protective zone.</text></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection> <subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HEEC635A9D9BF4564AB4E16B8D0F33AB6"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Technical and conforming amendment</header><text>The table of sections for <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/18/67">chapter 67</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
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<toc>
<toc-entry level="section" bold="off">1390. Interference with National Guard protective zone.</toc-entry></toc><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section> 
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