119-s2993

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2993 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2993

 To establish appropriate rules for prosecutors and Federal judges to 
 carry a concealed firearm.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 October 9, 2025

 Mr. Cotton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
 referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To establish appropriate rules for prosecutors and Federal judges to 
 carry a concealed firearm.

 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 ``Protect Our Prosecutors and Judges 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO CARRY A CONCEALED FIREARM FOR PROSECUTORS AND 
 FEDERAL JUDGES.

    (a) Current Prosecutors and Federal Judges.--

Section 926B of title 
18, United States Code, is amended--

    (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``, qualified 
 prosecutors, and qualified Federal judges'' after ``qualified 
 law enforcement officers'';

    (2) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) by inserting ``, a qualified prosecutor, or a 
 qualified Federal judge'' after ``qualified law 
 enforcement officer''; and
        (B) by striking ``subsection
            (d) '' and inserting 
 ``subsection
            (c) '';

    (3) by striking subsections
            (c) ,
            (d) , and

    (e) and inserting 
 the following:
 ``
            (c) The identification required by this subsection is--
 ``

    (1) with respect to a qualified law enforcement officer, 
 the photographic identification issued by the governmental 
 agency for which the individual is employed that identifies the 
 employee as a police officer or law enforcement officer of the 
 agency;
 ``

    (2) with respect to a qualified prosecutor--
 ``
        (A) the photographic identification issued by the 
 governmental agency by which the individual is employed 
 that identifies the employee as a prosecutor of the 
 agency; and
 ``
        (B) a certification--
 ``
            (i) if agency employing the qualified 
 prosecutor has authorized the qualified 
 prosecutor to carry a firearm, that indicates 
 that the qualified prosecutor has been tested 
 or otherwise found by the agency to meet the 
 active duty standards for qualification in 
 firearms training as established by the agency 
 to carry a firearm of the same type as the 
 concealed firearm; or
 ``
            (ii) if the agency employing the 
 qualified prosecutor has not authorized the 
 qualified prosecutor to carry a firearm, issued 
 by the State in which the qualified prosecutor 
 resides or by a certified firearms instructor 
 that is qualified to conduct a firearms 
 qualification test for active duty officers 
 within that State that indicates that the 
 qualified prosecutor has been tested or 
 otherwise found by the State or certified 
 firearms instructor that is qualified to 
 conduct a firearms qualification test for 
 active duty officers within that State to have 
 met--
 ``
            (I) the active duty standards for 
 qualification in firearms training, as 
 established by the State, to carry a 
 firearm of the same type as the 
 concealed firearm; or
 ``
            (II) if the State has not 
 established such standards, standards 
 set by any law enforcement agency 
 within that State to carry a firearm of 
 the same type as the concealed firearm; 
 and
 ``

    (3) with respect to a qualified Federal judge--
 ``
        (A) photographic identification issued by the 
 Federal Government that identifies the individual as a 
 Federal judge; and
 ``
        (B) a certification issued by the State in which 
 the Federal judge resides or by a certified firearms 
 instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms 
 qualification test for active duty officers within that 
 State that indicates that the individual has been 
 tested or otherwise found by the State or certified 
 firearms instructor that is qualified to conduct a 
 firearms qualification test for active duty officers 
 within that State to have met--
 ``
            (i) the active duty standards for 
 qualification in firearms training, as 
 established by the State, to carry a firearm of 
 the same type as the concealed firearm; or
 ``
            (ii) if the State has not established 
 such standards, standards set by any law 
 enforcement agency within that State to carry a 
 firearm of the same type as the concealed 
 firearm.'';

    (4) by redesignating subsection

    (f) as subsection
            (d) ; and

    (5) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (e) As used in this section--
 ``

    (1) the term `firearm'--
 ``
        (A) except as provided in this paragraph, has the 
 same meaning as in 

section 921 of this title;
 ``
        (B) includes ammunition not expressly prohibited 
 by Federal law or subject to the provisions of the 
 National Firearms Act; and
 ``
            (C) does not include--
 ``
            (i) any machinegun (as defined in 

section 5845 of the National Firearms Act);
 ``
            (ii) any firearm silencer (as defined in 
 

section 921 of this title); and
 ``
            (iii) any destructive device (as defined 
 in 

section 921 of this title);
 ``

    (2) the term `qualified Federal judge' means an 
 individual who--
 ``
        (A) is serving in a position as a judge that is 
 established under article I, III, or IV of the 
 Constitution of the United States;
 ``
        (B) is not the subject of a pending impeachment 
 inquiry or trial;
 ``
            (C) is not under the influence of alcohol or 
 another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or 
 substance; and
 ``
            (D) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
 receiving a firearm;
 ``

    (3) the term `qualified law enforcement officer' means an 
 employee of a governmental agency who--
 ``
        (A) is authorized by law to engage in or 
 supervise the prevention, detection, investigation or 
 prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, 
 any violation of law, and has statutory powers of 
 arrest or apprehension under 

section 807

    (b) of title 
 10, United States Code (article 7

    (b) of the Uniform 
 Code of Military Justice);
 ``
        (B) is authorized by the agency to carry a 
 firearm;
 ``
            (C) is not the subject of any disciplinary action 
 by the agency which could result in suspension or loss 
 of police powers;
 ``
            (D) meets standards, if any, established by the 
 agency which require the employee to regularly qualify 
 in the use of a firearm;
 ``
        (E) is not under the influence of alcohol or 
 another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or 
 substance; and
 ``
        (F) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
 receiving a firearm; and
 ``

    (4) the term `qualified prosecutor' means an individual 
 who--
 ``
        (A) is a full-time employee of an agency of the 
 Federal Government or a State or unit of local 
 government who--
 ``
            (i) is continually licensed to practice 
 law; and
 ``
            (ii) prosecutes criminal or juvenile 
 delinquency cases at the Federal, State, or 
 local level (including supervision, education, 
 or training of other persons prosecuting such 
 cases);
 ``
        (B) is not the subject of any disciplinary action 
 by the agency which could result in suspension;
 ``
            (C) meets standards, if any, established by the 
 agency which require the employee to regularly qualify 
 in the use of a firearm;
 ``
            (D) is not under the influence of alcohol or 
 another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or 
 substance; and
 ``
        (E) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
 receiving a firearm.''.

    (b) Retired Prosecutors and Federal Judges.--

Section 926C of title 
18, United States Code, is amended--

    (1) in the section heading, by inserting ``, qualified 
 retired prosecutors, and qualified retired Federal judges'' 
 after ``qualified retired law enforcement officers'';

    (2) in subsection

    (a) --
        (A) by inserting ``, a qualified retired 
 prosecutor, or a qualified Federal judge'' after 
 ``qualified law enforcement officer''; and
        (B) by striking ``subsection
            (d) '' and inserting 
 ``subsection
            (c) ''; and

    (3) by striking subsections
            (c) ,
            (d) , and

    (e) and inserting 
 the following:
 ``
            (c) The identification required by this subsection is--
 ``

    (1) with respect to a qualified retired law enforcement 
 officer--
 ``
        (A) a photographic identification issued by the 
 agency from which the individual separated from service 
 as a law enforcement officer that identifies the person 
 as having been employed as a police officer or law 
 enforcement officer and indicates that the individual 
 has, not less recently than 1 year before the date the 
 individual is carrying the concealed firearm, been 
 tested or otherwise found by the agency to meet the 
 active duty standards for qualification in firearms 
 training as established by the agency to carry a 
 firearm of the same type as the concealed firearm; or
 ``
        (B)
            (i) a photographic identification issued by 
 the agency from which the individual separated from 
 service as a law enforcement officer that identifies 
 the person as having been employed as a police officer 
 or law enforcement officer; and
 ``
            (ii) a certification issued by the State in which 
 the individual resides or by a certified firearms 
 instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms 
 qualification test for active duty officers within that 
 State that indicates that the individual has, not less 
 than 1 year before the date the individual is carrying 
 the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found 
 by the State or certified firearms instructor that is 
 qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for 
 active duty officers within that State to have met--
 ``
            (I) the active duty standards for 
 qualification in firearms training, as 
 established by the State, to carry a firearm of 
 the same type as the concealed firearm; or
 ``
            (II) if the State has not established 
 such standards, standards set by any law 
 enforcement agency within that State to carry a 
 firearm of the same type as the concealed 
 firearm;
 ``

    (2) with respect to a qualified retired prosecutor--
 ``
        (A) the photographic identification issued by the 
 governmental agency by which the individual was 
 employed that identifies the individual as a former 
 prosecutor of the agency; and
 ``
        (B) a certification issued by the State in which 
 the qualified retired prosecutor resides or by a 
 certified firearms instructor that is qualified to 
 conduct a firearms qualification test for active duty 
 officers within that State that indicates that the 
 qualified retired prosecutor has, not less than 1 year 
 before the date the qualified retired prosecutor is 
 carrying the concealed firearm, been tested or 
 otherwise found by the State or certified firearms 
 instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms 
 qualification test for active duty officers within that 
 State to have met--
 ``
            (i) the active duty standards for 
 qualification in firearms training, as 
 established by the State, to carry a firearm of 
 the same type as the concealed firearm; or
 ``
            (ii) if the State has not established 
 such standards, standards set by any law 
 enforcement agency within that State to carry a 
 firearm of the same type as the concealed 
 firearm; and
 ``

    (3) with respect to a qualified retired Federal judge--
 ``
        (A) photographic identification issued by the 
 Federal Government that identifies the individual as a 
 former Federal judge; and
 ``
        (B) a certification issued by the State in which 
 the Federal judge resides or by a certified firearms 
 instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms 
 qualification test for active duty officers within that 
 State that indicates that the individual has, not less 
 than 1 year before the date the individual is carrying 
 the concealed firearm, been tested or otherwise found 
 by the State or certified firearms instructor that is 
 qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test for 
 active duty officers within that State to have met--
 ``
            (i) the active duty standards for 
 qualification in firearms training, as 
 established by the State, to carry a firearm of 
 the same type as the concealed firearm; or
 ``
            (ii) if the State has not established 
 such standards, standards set by any law 
 enforcement agency within that State to carry a 
 firearm of the same type as the concealed 
 firearm.
 ``
            (d) As used in this section--
 ``

    (1) the term `firearm'--
 ``
        (A) except as provided in this paragraph, has the 
 same meaning as in 

section 921 of this title;
 ``
        (B) includes ammunition not expressly prohibited 
 by Federal law or subject to the provisions of the 
 National Firearms Act; and
 ``
            (C) does not include--
 ``
            (i) any machinegun (as defined in 

section 5845 of the National Firearms Act);
 ``
            (ii) any firearm silencer (as defined in 
 

section 921 of this title); and
 ``
            (iii) any destructive device (as defined 
 in 

section 921 of this title);
 ``

    (2) the term `qualified retired Federal judge' means an 
 individual who--
 ``
        (A) separated from service in good standing from 
 service in a position as a judge that was established 
 under article I, III, or IV of the Constitution of the 
 United States;
 ``
        (B)
            (i) has not been officially found by a 
 qualified medical professional employed by the Federal 
 Government to be unqualified for reasons relating to 
 mental health and as a result of this finding will not 
 be issued the photographic identification as described 
 in subsection
            (c) (3) ; and
 ``
            (ii) has not entered into an agreement with the 
 Federal Government in which that individual 
 acknowledges he or she is not qualified under this 
 section for reasons relating to mental health and for 
 those reasons will not receive or accept the 
 photographic identification as described in subsection
            (c) (3) ;
 ``
            (C) during the most recent 12-month period, has 
 met, at the expense of the individual, the standards 
 for qualification in firearms training for active law 
 enforcement officers, as determined by the State in 
 which the individual resides or, if the State has not 
 established such standards, either a law enforcement 
 agency within the State in which the individual resides 
 or the standards used by a certified firearms 
 instructor that is qualified to conduct a firearms 
 qualification test for active duty officers within that 
 State;
 ``
            (D) is not under the influence of alcohol or 
 another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or 
 substance; and
 ``
        (E) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
 receiving a firearm;
 ``

    (3) the term `qualified retired law enforcement officer' 
 means an individual who--
 ``
        (A) separated from service in good standing from 
 service with a public agency as a law enforcement 
 officer;
 ``
        (B) before such separation, was authorized by law 
 to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, 
 investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration 
 of any person for, any violation of law, and had 
 statutory powers of arrest or apprehension under 
 

section 807

    (b) of title 10, United States Code (article 
 7

    (b) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice);
 ``
            (C) 
            (i) before such separation, served as a law 
 enforcement officer for an aggregate of 10 years or 
 more; or
 ``
            (ii) separated from service with such agency, 
 after completing any applicable probationary period of 
 such service, due to a service-connected disability, as 
 determined by such agency;
 ``
            (D) during the most recent 12-month period, has 
 met, at the expense of the individual, the standards 
 for qualification in firearms training for active law 
 enforcement officers, as determined by the former 
 agency of the individual, the State in which the 
 individual resides or, if the State has not established 
 such standards, either a law enforcement agency within 
 the State in which the individual resides or the 
 standards used by a certified firearms instructor that 
 is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test 
 for active duty officers within that State;
 ``
        (E)
            (i) has not been officially found by a 
 qualified medical professional employed by the agency 
 to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health 
 and as a result of this finding will not be issued the 
 photographic identification as described in subsection
            (c) (1) ; or
 ``
            (ii) has not entered into an agreement with the 
 agency from which the individual is separating from 
 service in which that individual acknowledges he or she 
 is not qualified under this section for reasons 
 relating to mental health and for those reasons will 
 not receive or accept the photographic identification 
 as described in subsection
            (c) (1) ;
 ``
        (F) is not under the influence of alcohol or 
 another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or 
 substance; and
 ``
        (G) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
 receiving a firearm; and
 ``

    (4) the term `qualified retired prosecutor' means an 
 individual who--
 ``
        (A) separated from service in good standing from 
 service as a full-time employee of an agency of the 
 Federal Government or a State or unit of local 
 government who--
 ``
            (i) during such service was continually 
 licensed to practice law; and
 ``
            (ii) prosecuted criminal or juvenile 
 delinquency cases at the Federal, State, or 
 local level (including supervision, education, 
 or training of other persons prosecuting such 
 cases);
 ``
        (B) before such separation, served as described 
 in subparagraph
        (A) for an aggregate of 10 years or 
 more;
 ``
            (C) 
            (i) has not been officially found by a 
 qualified medical professional employed by the agency 
 to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health 
 and as a result of this finding will not be issued the 
 photographic identification as described in subsection
            (c) (2) ; and
 ``
            (ii) has not entered into an agreement with the 
 agency in which that individual acknowledges he or she 
 is not qualified under this section for reasons 
 relating to mental health and for those reasons will 
 not receive or accept the photographic identification 
 as described in subsection
            (c) (2) ;
 ``
            (D) during the most recent 12-month period, has 
 met, at the expense of the individual, the standards 
 for qualification in firearms training for active law 
 enforcement officers, as determined by the former 
 agency of the individual, the State in which the 
 individual resides or, if the State has not established 
 such standards, either a law enforcement agency within 
 the State in which the individual resides or the 
 standards used by a certified firearms instructor that 
 is qualified to conduct a firearms qualification test 
 for active duty officers within that State;
 ``
        (E) is not under the influence of alcohol or 
 another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug or 
 substance; and
 ``
        (F) is not prohibited by Federal law from 
 receiving a firearm.''.
            (c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
items relating to sections 926B and 926C and inserting the following:

``926B. Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement 
 officers, qualified prosecutors, and 
 qualified Federal judges.
``926C. Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified retired law 
 enforcement officers, qualified retired 
 prosecutors, and qualified retired Federal 
 judges.''.
            (d) Regulations.--The Attorney General and the Director of the 
Administrative Office of United States Courts may promulgate such 
regulations as are necessary to carry out the amendments made by this 
section.
 <all>