BLUE Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4508
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-03T16:03:50Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This legislation, titled the Blocking Leaks Undermining Enforcement Act or BLUE Act, aims to prohibit the sharing of certain information about Federal law enforcement officers when done with the intent to physically obstruct, impede, interfere with, or retaliate against their official duties.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 119 of title 18, United States Code, by adding a new prohibition on disclosing identifying information about a Federal law enforcement officer with the specific intent to obstruct, impede, interfere with, or retaliate against lawful duties, investigations, operations, or official proceedings.
- Expands the definition of "identifying information" to include any physical location where the officer is or is reasonably expected to be present, whether on or off duty.
- Updates references to define "Federal law enforcement officer" and "immediate family" according to the meanings in section 115 of the same title.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new category of prohibited conduct specifically targeting disclosures about Federal law enforcement officers, extending beyond the prior focus on other protected individuals.
- Broadens the scope of restricted information by including off-duty locations.
- Aligns key definitions with those used in section 115 for consistency in enforcement.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Strengthens protections for Federal law enforcement operations by criminalizing certain information disclosures that could disrupt investigations or proceedings.
- On citizens: Limits the ability to share specific details about officers' locations or identities when intent to obstruct or retaliate is present.
- On international relations: No direct provisions address international matters.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal law enforcement officers and their immediate family members.
- Individuals or entities that might disclose or share identifying information about such officers.
- Federal government agencies involved in law enforcement and judicial proceedings.
- The U.S. Congress, as the body enacting the amendment.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Creates a new criminal offense under title 18 by expanding prohibitions on information disclosure with specified harmful intent.
- Relies on intent-based elements to distinguish prohibited sharing from other forms of communication.
- Updates statutory definitions to integrate with existing protections for officials under section 115.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN], Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD], Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT], Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC], Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-13: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Blocking Leaks Undermining Enforcement Act — issued 2026-05-13 — PDF (3 pages)