H.R. 8609: Protect Peaceful Protests Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-10-16 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-10-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protect Peaceful Protests Act

Plain summary

Protect Peaceful Protests Act This bill prohibits the Department of Justice from designating Drug Enforcement Administration officers to perform law enforcement duties that do not relate to drug investigations. It also generally prohibits the U.S. Marshals Service from deputizing other law enforcement officers and the Department of Homeland Security from designating additional employees to protect federal property during a protest unless there is a request by a state, Indian tribe, territory, or the District of Columbia.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protect Peaceful Protests Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8609.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8609 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116