Protect and Serve Act of 2025

Summary

Creates a new federal crime for willfully causing or attempting to cause serious bodily injury to a person because they are a law enforcement officer when certain interstate or federal connections exist. The offense carries prison time (up to 10 years) and fines, with much harsher penalties (any term of years or life) if the attack causes death or involves kidnapping or attempted killing. Federal prosecution requires a written certification by the Attorney General that the State asked for federal help or that federal prosecution is in the public interest based on five listed factors.

• Establishes a new federal offense for willfully causing or attempting serious bodily injury to someone because they are a law enforcement officer, subject to specified interstate or federal connections.
• Standard penalty is up to 10 years imprisonment and fines; aggravated penalty (including life) applies if death, kidnapping, or attempted killing occurs.
• Federal jurisdiction applies only when one or more enumerated jurisdictional links are present (interstate travel/commerce, weapon in interstate commerce, federal property/actors, or federal officer victim).
• Federal prosecution requires a written certification by the Attorney General that the State requested federal jurisdiction or that federal prosecution is in the public interest and necessary for substantial justice.
• The Attorney General must evaluate five factors (including prior State outcomes, premeditation, intended outcome, disregard for life, and public safety benefit) when certifying public-interest prosecutions.
• Defines relevant terms and preserves federal investigative authority; adds the new offense to the federal criminal code list of sections.
• Does not provide new funding and does not automatically preempt State prosecutions; it creates a discrete federal option in limited circumstances.
• Could shift certain prosecutions from State to federal courts, but only with AG certification or State request.