H.R. 7439

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7439 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 9, 2026

Ms. Meng introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

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).
<all>