New federal crime: entering 15-foot zone around deployed Guard members

What it does

This bill creates a new federal crime for knowingly entering or remaining within a 15-foot protective zone around a National Guard member during an authorized deployment, if the person intends to impede, intimidate, or interfere with the member's duties. The zone must be marked by warning, signage, tape, or other reasonable means. Violations carry up to 1 year in prison; physical contact, throwing objects, or spitting escalates the penalty to 5 years. The bill explicitly preserves First Amendment activity outside the zone.

Why we flagged it

The bill's sole operative mechanism is the creation of a new federal crime (18 U.S.C. § 1390) with graduated penalties. It is a straightforward criminal-law amendment with no riders, subsidies, or private beneficiaries.

What the text implies

• The 15-foot zone is defined around individual Guard members, not fixed locations, meaning the protected area moves with the member and may expand or contract based on deployment posture, creating uncertainty about where the crime applies.
• The bill applies to deployments under chapter 15 of title 10 (federal active duty) and title 32 (state Guard operations), potentially criminalizing interference with Guard members engaged in domestic law-enforcement or civil-order functions, not just external defense.
• The 'intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere' standard is subjective and may capture protest, observation, or documentation of Guard activities if prosecutors argue the presence itself constitutes interference.
• First Amendment protection is explicitly limited to activity 'outside' the zone; speech or assembly within the zone receives no constitutional carve-out, only the general First Amendment defense available in any prosecution.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill protects National Guard members from harassment and physical interference during deployments, a legitimate public-safety interest. However, it creates a criminal zone around individual Guard members that may chill lawful protest, assembly, or observation near Guard operations, particularly in domestic deployments where Guard members may be engaged in law-enforcement or civil-order functions. The First Amendment carve-out applies only outside the zone, not to speech or assembly within it

Named in the bill

National Guard, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of the Army, Chapter 15 of Title 10 (federal active duty), Title 32 (state Guard operations), 18 U.S.C. Chapter 67 (crimes against government officials)

Where it stands

4 cosponsors: 4 Republicans.

• Mar 12, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Mar 12, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.