Sponsors (5)
Introduced June 18, 2025 by Thomas Roland Tillis · Last progress June 18, 2025
The bill strengthens federal power to deter and prosecute road blockades and reduce commerce disruptions, but it expands federal criminal reach and prosecutorial discretion—risking greater criminalization of protesters and higher legal costs.
Commuters and businesses will face fewer travel and commerce disruptions because blocking roads to obstruct interstate commerce is criminalized, creating a legal deterrent against large-scale blockades.
Federal law enforcement and local governments will gain a clearer federal criminal tool to deter and prosecute large-scale road blockades that impede interstate commerce.
People who engage in road-based protests will risk federal prosecution and up to five years in prison for blocking highways, increasing criminal exposure for demonstrators.
Broadening the statute by removing the 'threats of violence' cross-reference will expand prosecutorial discretion and may subject conduct that was previously non-federal or required violent threats to federal charges.
Expanded federal jurisdiction over road blockages will likely shift many protest-related cases from state to federal courts, raising legal costs for defendants and increasing government (taxpayer) expenses.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal crime for intentionally blocking public roads/highways that affects commerce, with penalties up to 5 years in prison and fines.
Creates a new federal crime for intentionally blocking a public road or highway in a way that obstructs, delays, or affects interstate or other commerce, including attempts and conspiracies, punishable by a fine and/or up to 5 years in prison. It also updates the criminal code text and related cross-references so the new offense is integrated into existing federal statutes and removes language that tied certain cross-references to "threats of violence."