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Bills/119th Congress · House

H.R. 8825

Introduced

Democracy Without Intimidation Act

Sponsor
DApril McClain Delaney· Maryland
Introduced
May 14, 2026
Policy area
Crime and Law Enforcement
Latest action
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.May 14, 2026
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8825 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8825

To prohibit troops at the polls, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 14, 2026

Mrs. McClain Delaney (for herself and Ms. Pettersen) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To prohibit troops at the polls, 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 ``Democracy Without Intimidation 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITING TROOPS AT POLLS.

(a) Removal of Exception.--Section 592 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``, unless such force be necessary to 
repel armed enemies of the United States,''.
(b) Prosecution.--Section 1982 of the Revised Statues (42 U.S.C. 
1987) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 1982. PROSECUTION OF VIOLATION OF CERTAIN LAWS.

``The United States attorneys, marshals, and deputy marshals, the 
United States magistrate judges appointed by the district and 
territorial courts, with power to arrest, imprison, or bail offenders, 
and every other officer who is especially empowered by the President, 
are authorized and required, at the expense of the United States, to 
institute prosecutions against all persons violating any of the 
provisions of section 1990 of this title, and sections 241, 242, 372, 
592, 593, 752, 1071, 1581, 1583 and 1588 of title 18, United States 
Code, and to cause such persons to be arrested, and imprisoned or 
bailed, for trial before the court of the United States or the 
territorial court having cognizance of the offense.''.
(c) Increasing Number of Magistrates.--Section 1983 of the Revised 
Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1989) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 1983. UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGES; APPOINTMENT OF PERSONS TO 
EXECUTE WARRANTS.

``The district courts of the United States and the district courts 
of the Territories, from time to time, shall increase the number of 
United States magistrate judges, so as to afford a speedy and 
convenient means for the arrest and examination of persons charged with 
the crimes referred to in section 1987 of this title, and such 
magistrate judges are authorized and required to exercise all the 
powers and duties conferred on them herein with regard to such offenses 
in like manner as they are authorized by law to exercise with regard to 
other offenses against the laws of the United States. Said magistrate 
judges are empowered, within their respective counties, to appoint, in 
writing, under their hands, one or more suitable persons, from time to 
time, who shall execute all such warrants or other process as the 
magistrate judges may issue in the lawful performance of their duties, 
and the persons so appointed shall have authority to summon and call to 
their aid the bystanders or posse comitatus of the proper county, or 
such portion of the land or naval forces of the United States, or of 
the militia, as may be necessary to the performance of the duty with 
which they are charged; and such warrants shall run and be executed 
anywhere in the State or Territory within which they are issued.''.
(d) Private Right of Action.--
(1) In general.--Any individual aggrieved by a violation of 
section 592 of title 18, United States Code, may bring a civil 
action against a covered person in an appropriate district 
court of the United States for injunctive relief.
(2) Appeal.--Any final order of a district court of the 
United States issued pursuant to an action brought under this 
subsection shall be reviewable by appeal directly to the 
Supreme Court of the United States. Any such appeal shall be 
taken by a notice of appeal filed within 10 days after such 
order is entered.
(3) Expedited consideration.--It shall be the duty of the 
district court of the United States and the Supreme Court of 
the United States to advance on the docket and to expedite to 
the greatest possible extent the disposition of any action 
brought under subsection.
(4) Covered person defined.--In this subsection, the term 
``covered person'' means any person in the Senior Executive 
Service of a Federal law enforcement agency or a political 
appointee of a Federal law enforcement agency.
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