Researchers and Farmers Freedom From Terrorism Act of 2000

Researchers and Farmers Freedom From Terrorism Act of 2000 - Amends the Federal criminal code to: (1) remove the requirement that physical disruption to the functioning of an animal enterprise must be intentional in order to be criminal; (2) increase the possible term of imprisonment for such disruption from one to five years; and (3) make it unlawful for anyone to maliciously damage or destroy by means of fire or explosives any building, vehicle, or property used by an animal enterprise.

Requires the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to establish and maintain a national clearinghouse for information on incidents of crime and terrorism committed against or directed at: (1) any animal enterprise; (2) any commercial activity because of a perceived impact of such activity on the environment; or (3) any person because of such person's connection with or support of such an enterprise or activity.

[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5429 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5429

   To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect and promote the 
public safety and interstate commerce by establishing Federal criminal 
    penalties and civil remedies for certain violent, threatening, 
    obstructive and destructive conduct that is intended to injure, 
    intimidate, or interfere with persons seeking to operate animal 
                  enterprises, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           October 10, 2000.

Mr. Cunningham introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect and promote the 
public safety and interstate commerce by establishing Federal criminal 
    penalties and civil remedies for certain violent, threatening, 
    obstructive and destructive conduct that is intended to injure, 
    intimidate, or interfere with persons seeking to operate animal 
                  enterprises, 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 ``Researchers and Farmers Freedom From 
Terrorism Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCHERS AND FARMERS FREEDOM FROM TERRORISM.

    Section 1961(1)(B) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``43 (relating to animal enterprise terrorism), section'' 
after ``Section''.

SEC. 3. ENHANCEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR ANIMAL ENTERPRISE TERRORISM.

    Section 43 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``intentionally'' 
                each place it appears; and
                    (B) by striking ``one year'' and inserting ``five 
                years';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3);
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
                new paragraph (2):
            ``(2) Explosives or arson.--Whoever in the course of a 
        violation of subsection (a) maliciously damages or destroys, or 
        attempts to damage or destroy, by means of fire or an 
        explosive, any building, vehicle, or other real or personal 
        property used by the animal enterprise shall be imprisoned for 
        not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years, fined under 
        this title, or both.''; and
                    (C) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, by 
                striking ``under this title and'' and all that follows 
                through the period and inserting ``under this title, 
                imprisoned for life or for any term of years, or 
                sentenced to death.''; and
            (3) in subsection (d)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (B);
                    (B) by inserting ``or'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (C); and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) the offices or headquarters of any enterprise 
                or event described in subparagraph (A), (B). or (C);''.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL ANIMAL TERRORISM AND ECOTERRORISM INCIDENT 
              CLEARINGHOUSE.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall establish and maintain a 
national clearinghouse for information on incidents of crime and 
terrorism--
            (1) committed against or directed at any animal enterprise;
            (2) committed against or directed at any commercial 
        activity because of the perceived impact or effect of such 
        commercial activity on the environment; or
            (3) committed against or directed at any person because of 
        such person's perceived connection with or support of any 
        enterprise or activity described in paragraph (1) or (2).
    (b) Clearinghouse.--The clearinghouse established under subsection 
(a) shall--
            (1) accept, collect, and maintain information on incidents 
        described in subsection (a) that is submitted to the 
        clearinghouse by Federal, State, and local law enforcement 
        agencies, by law enforcement agencies of foreign countries, and 
        by victims of such incidents;
            (2) collate and index such information for purposes of 
        cross-referencing; and
            (3) upon request from a Federal, State, or local law 
        enforcement agency, or from a law enforcement agency of a 
        foreign country, provide such information to assist in the 
        investigation of an incident described in subsection (a).
    (c) Scope of Information.--The information maintained by the 
clearinghouse for each incident shall, to the extent practicable, 
include--
            (1) the date, time, and place of the incident;
            (2) details of the incident;
            (3) any available information on suspects or perpetrators 
        of the incident; and
            (4) any other relevant information.
    (d) Design of Clearinghouse.--The clearinghouse shall be designed 
for maximum ease of use by participating law enforcement agencies.
    (e) Publicity.--The Director shall publicize the existence of the 
clearinghouse to law enforcement agencies by appropriate means.
    (f) Resources.--In establishing and maintaining the clearinghouse, 
the Director may--
            (1) through the Attorney General, utilize the resources of 
        any other department or agency of the Federal Government; and
            (2) accept assistance and information from private 
        organizations or individuals.
    (g) Coordination.--The Director shall carry out the Director's 
responsibilities under this section in cooperation with the Director of 
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``animal enterprise'' has the same meaning as 
        in section 43 of title 18, United States Code.
            (2) The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Federal 
        Bureau of Investigation.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for fiscal years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 such 
sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
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