[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7439 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7439
To provide that Federal law enforcement officers may only use deadly
force when necessary to prevent imminent danger of death or serious
bodily injury to the law enforcement officer or another person, and for
other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 9, 2026
Ms. Meng introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
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A BILL
To provide that Federal law enforcement officers may only use deadly
force when necessary to prevent imminent danger of death or serious
bodily injury to the law enforcement officer or another person, 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 ``Uniform Standards for Federal Law
Enforcement Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE BY FEDERAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
(a) In General.--A Federal law enforcement officer may only use
deadly force when the officer has a reasonable belief that the use of
such force is necessary to prevent imminent danger of death or serious
bodily injury to the law enforcement officer or another person.
(b) Clarifications.--
(1) In general.--The use of deadly force may not be
considered necessary--
(A) solely to prevent the escape of a fleeing
suspect;
(B) solely to disable a moving vehicle; or
(C) against a person whose actions are a threat
solely to themself or to property.
(2) Discharge at a moving vehicle.--The discharge of a
firearm by a Federal law enforcement officer at a moving
vehicle may not be considered necessary unless--
(A) a person in the vehicle is threatening the
officer or another person with deadly force by means
other than the vehicle; or
(B) the person operating the vehicle is doing so in
a manner that threatens to cause death or serious
physical injury to the officer or others, and no other
objectively reasonable means of defense appear to
exist, including moving out of the path of the vehicle.
(c) Verbal Warning.--Prior to using deadly force, a Federal law
enforcement officer shall give a verbal warning to the individual on
whom the officer intends to use such force, to the extent practicable,
and only if giving such warning would not increase the imminent danger
of death or serious bodily injury to the law enforcement officer or
another person.
(d) Prohibition on Warning Shots.--Except in a Federal prison, a
Federal law enforcement officer may not discharge a firearm as a
warning.
(e) Training.--The Attorney General, in consultation with the heads
of other Federal agencies that employ Federal law enforcement officers,
shall develop and provide training to Federal law enforcement officers
on methods and tactics to use in conducting law enforcement activities
in situations, with respect to which, the use of deadly force is
prohibited under this section.
(f) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Federal law
enforcement officer'' means--
(1) a Federal law enforcement officer, as such term is
defined in section 115 of title 18, United States Code; and
(2) an immigration officer, as such term is defined in
section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101).
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