Last progress July 22, 2025 (4 months ago)
Introduced on July 22, 2025 by Jeff Merkley
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
This bill sets clear rules for how federal officers and military members can act during protests and crowds. They must show who they are at all times, including their agency and last name or a unique ID (and rank for military). They cannot cover up their name/ID, and they cannot use unmarked cars to grab or arrest people during these events .
Their crowd-control powers are mostly limited to federal property and the sidewalks or streets right next to it. They can go beyond that only if a governor and a local leader both ask for help in writing, or if the Insurrection Act is used. Arrests made while breaking these rules would be unlawful. Within 24 hours of any deployment for crowd control, the responsible agency must post a public notice online with the date, number of officers by location, mission details, where detained people are held and by whom, and any written request for help .
| Key point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Who is affected | Federal law enforcement officers and members of the armed forces during protests, demonstrations, riots, or civil disobedience |
| Identification | Must clearly display agency and last name or unique ID (plus rank for military); cannot be covered |
| Vehicles | No using unmarked vehicles to detain or arrest people during these events |
| Where they can act | Mainly on federal property and the immediately adjacent sidewalk/street; exceptions only with a joint state/local request or under the Insurrection Act |
| Public notice | Agency must post details online within 24 hours of deployment, including numbers, mission, detention locations, and any written request for help |