This bill amends the Hobbs Act, a federal law against interference with commerce through violence or extortion, to clarify and strengthen penalties for violent conduct during labor disputes. The legislation increases criminal penalties to up to $100,000 in fines and 20 years in prison for anyone who obstructs commerce through robbery, extortion, or threats of physical violence. The bill creates a narrow exemption for peaceful picketing and minor injuries or property damage that occur during labor disputes, but excludes coordinated violent activity from this protection and reserves such cases for state and local prosecution. Importantly, the law preserves existing labor protections under the Clayton Act, Norris-LaGuardia Act, National Labor Relations Act, and Railway Labor Act, meaning it does not eliminate workers' rights to strike or organize. The bill establishes federal jurisdiction over violations regardless of whether conduct also violates state or local law or occurs during a labor dispute.
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