Federal Halo Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8796 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8796 To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a safety buffer zone to protect certain Federal law enforcement officers, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 13, 2026 Ms. Malliotakis (for herself, Mr. Ezell, and Mr. McGuire) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 18, United States Code, to establish a safety buffer zone to protect certain Federal law enforcement officers, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Halo Act''. SEC. 2. CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR OBSTRUCTING FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ACTIVITIES. (a) In General.--Chapter 73 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 1522. Obstructing law enforcement activities ``(a) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Federal law enforcement officer.--The term `Federal law enforcement officer' means any Federal law enforcement officer or agent who is engaged in the lawful performance of duties. ``(2) Harass.--The term `harass' means to knowingly engage in a course of conduct directed at a Federal law enforcement officer that intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that Federal law enforcement officer and serves no legitimate purpose. ``(b) Offense.--It shall be unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning not to approach from an individual whom the person knows or reasonably should know is a Federal law enforcement officer, and who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly violat