WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

The law › Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure › Chapter 7

18 U.S.C. 115: Influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a Federal official by threatening or injuring a family member

Created in 1984 by Public Law 98-473. Changed by 9 later laws. 1 bill in this Congress would change it.

7 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 5 U.S.C. 9202, 18 U.S.C. 1388, 18 U.S.C. 4243, 25 U.S.C. 305d, 34 U.S.C. 20709.

This Congress

  • S. 2296 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 · passed senate · would change (b)

How it got here

2021

  • Pub. L. 117–59 added subsec. (e). (Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila Federal Officers and Employees Protection Act) Law text · (e)

2008

  • Pub. L. 110–177 added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: "An assault in violation of this section shall be punished as provided in section 111 of this title." (Court Security Improvement Act of 2007) Law text · (b)

2002

  • Pub. L. 107–273, §4002(b)(9), substituted "or attempted kidnapping of, or a conspiracy to kidnap, a person" for ", attempted kidnapping, or conspiracy to kidnap of a person". (21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 107–273, §11008(c), substituted "10" for "five" and "6" for "three". (21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act) Law text · (b)

1996

  • Pub. L. 104–132, §723(a)(1), inserted "or conspires" after "attempts". (Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 104–132, §727(b)(1), which directed insertion of ", or threatens to assault, kidnap, or murder, any person who formerly served as a person designated in paragraph (1), or" after "assaults, kidnaps, or murders, or attempts to kidnap or murder", was executed by making the subs… (Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 104–132, §723(a)(1), inserted "or conspires" after "attempts". (Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996) Law text · (a)
  • Pub. L. 104–132, §723(a)(2), substituted ", attempted kidnapping, or conspiracy to kidnap" for "or attempted kidnapping" in two places. (Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 104–132, §723(a)(3), substituted ", attempted murder, or conspiracy to murder" and ", 1113, and 1117" for "or attempted murder" and "and 1113", respectively. (Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996) Law text · (b)
  • Pub. L. 104–132, §727(b)(2), added subsec. (d). (Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996) Law text · (d)

1994

  • Pub. L. 103–322, §330021(1), substituted "kidnapping" for "kidnaping" in two places. · (b)
  • Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(2)(C), substituted "fine under this title" for "fine of not more than $5,000". · (b)

1990

  • Pub. L. 101–647 substituted "the Central" for "The Central". · (c)

1988

  • Pub. L. 100–690 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: "Whoever assaults, kidnaps, or murders, or attempts to kidnap or murder, or threatens to assault, kidnap or murder a member of the immediate family of a United States official, a United Stat… · (a)

1986

  • Pub. L. 99–646, §60, substituted "section 1114 of this title, or threatens to assault, kidnap, or murder, a United States official, a United States judge, a Federal law enforcement officer, or an official whose killing would be a crime under such section" for "18 U.S.C. 1114, as amende… · (a)
  • Pub. L. 99–646, §37(a), inserted "for the kidnapping or attempted kidnapping of a person described in section 1201(a)(5) of this title". · (b)

Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.