What This Bill Does · Plain English
Summary · Congress.gov
Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2025 This bill broadens the scope of conduct that constitutes extortion under the federal criminal statute commonly known as the Hobbs Act. The Hobbs Act prohibits robbery or extortion affecting interstate commerce. Currently, an extortion offense includes obtaining property of another through the wrongful use of force, violence, or fear. Typically, Hobbs Act violations are investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 1973, in United States v. Enmons , the U.S. Supreme Court held that the use of violence by union members during a strike did not constitute extortion under the Hobbs Act because its purpose —to achieve legitimate union objectives—was not wrongful. This bill eliminates the requirement that the use of force, violence, or fear of force or violence to obtain property must be wrongful. The bill specifies that the use of fear not involving force or violence must still be wrongful. Finally, the bill exempts from the Hobbs Act prohibition conduct that (1) is incidental to peaceful picketing during a labor dispute, (2) consists solely of minor bodily injury or property damage, and (3) is not part of a pattern of violent conduct or of coordinated violent activity. A violation involving exempted conduct is subject to prosecution by state and local authorities.
Action Timeline
2025-08-26
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
2025-08-26
Introduced in House
2025-08-26
Introduced in House
Frequently Asked Questions
Did HR.5054 pass?
HR.5054 is still alive. Current stage: COMMITTEE. Pass likelihood: pending.
What does HR.5054 do?
Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2025 This bill broadens the scope of conduct that constitutes extortion under the federal criminal statute commonly known as the Hobbs Act. The Hobbs Act prohibits robbery or extortion affecting interstate commerce. Currently, an extortion offense includes obtaining property of another through the wrongful use of force, violence, or fear. Typically, Hobbs Act violations are investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 1973, in United States v. Enmons , the U.S. Supreme Court held that the use of violence…
Who sponsored HR.5054?
HR.5054 was sponsored by Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania).
Full Bill Text
119 HR 5054 IH: Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2025 U.S. House of Representatives 2025-08-26 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5054 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 26, 2025 Mr. Perry (for himself, Mr. Ogles , Mr. Cloud , Mr. Crane , and Mr. Higgins of Louisiana ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend section 1951 of title 18, United States Code (commonly known as the Hobbs Act), and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2025 . 2. Interference with commerce by threats or violence Section 1951 of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 1951. Interference with commerce by threats or violence (a) Prohibition Except as provided in subsection (c), whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion, or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section, shall be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned for a term of not more than 20 years, or both. (b) Definitions For purposes of this section— (1) the term commerce means any— (A) commerce within the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States; (B) commerce between any point in a State, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia and any point outside thereof; (C) commerce between points within the same State through any place outside that State; and (D) other commerce over which the United States has jurisdiction; (2) the term extortion means the obtaining of property from any person, with the consent of that person, if that consent is induced— (A) by actual or threatened use of force or violence, or fear thereof; (B) by wrongful use of fear not involving force or violence; or (C) under color of official right; (3) the term labor dispute has the same meaning as in section 2(9) of the National Labor Relations Act ( 29 U.S.C. 152(9) ); and (4) the term robbery means the unlawful taking or obtaining of personal property from the person or in the presence of another, against his or her will, by means of actual or threatened force or violence, or fear of injury, immediate or future— (A) to his or her person or property, or property in his or her custody or possession; or (B) to the person or property of a relative or member of his or her family, or of anyone in his or her company at the time of the taking or obtaining. (c) Exempted conduct (1) In general Subsection (a) does not apply to any conduct that— (A) is incidental to otherwise peaceful picketing during the course of a labor dispute; (B) consists solely of minor bodily injury, or minor damage to property, or threat or fear of such minor injury or damage; and (C) is not part of a pattern of violent conduct or of coordinated violent activity. (2) State and local jurisdiction Any violation of this section that involves any conduct described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to prosecution only by the appropriate State and local authorities. (d) Effect on other law Nothing in this section shall be construed— (1) to repeal, amend, or otherwise affect— (A) section 6 of the Clayton Act ( 15 U.S.C. 17 ); (B) section 20 of the Clayton Act ( 29 U.S.C. 52 ); (C) any provision of the Norris-LaGuardia Act ( 29 U.S.C. 101 et seq. ); (D) any provision of the National Labor Relations Act ( 29 U.S.C. 151 et seq. ); or (E) any provision of the Railway Labor Act ( 45 U.S.C. 151 et seq. ); or (2) to preclude Federal jurisdiction over any violation of this section, on the basis that the conduct at issue— (A) is also a violation of State or local law; or (B) occurred during the course of a labor dispute or in pursuit of a legitimate business or labor objective. .
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