Ideologically Motivated Violence Accountability Act

This Act may be cited as the Ideologically Motivated Violence Accountability Act.

Congress finds the following:

(1) The intentional targeting of individuals based on their ideological, religious or political beliefs, or affiliations poses a great threat to democratic society.

(2) Such attacks function not only as personal crimes but as coercive acts of ideological intimidation, deterring free political and religious expression and endangering communities exercising constitutional rights.

(3) Violence against individuals because of their political or religious beliefs, whether committed to silence dissent, to make a political statement, or to punish perceived opponents, undermines public safety, civil liberties, and the rule of law.

(4) The Government has a compelling interest in ensuring that individuals are not silenced or targeted because of their lawful political or religious beliefs.

Section 3592(c) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

The defendant committed the offense with the intent to—

(A) target the victim wholly or in part because of the victim’s actual or perceived political or religious beliefs, affiliation, expression, or activity; or

(B) promote, retaliate against, influence, protest, or otherwise make a public statement concerning any political or religious belief, practice, institution, group, ideology, event, or public figure.

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The United States Sentencing Commission shall amend the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual to conform with the amendment made in paragraph (1), pursuant to its authority under section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code.