HR 4015119th CongressIn Committee

Safe and Open Streets Act

Introduced: Jun 13, 2025

Infrastructure

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Safe and Open Streets Act would create a new federal crime under 18 U.S.C. §1951 specifically for interfering with commerce by blocking public roads. The offense covers deliberately obstructing, delaying, or affecting the movement of goods in commerce by blocking a public road or highway, as well as attempting or conspiring to do so. The penalty is a fine, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. In addition to creating this new offense, the bill makes conforming amendments to renumbering and cross-references, including removing references to “threats or violence” in related sections and adjusting how §1951 is described in the Code. The aim appears to be to deter road blockages that disrupt interstate commerce, even when no violence is involved.

Key Points

1New offense created: It shall be unlawful to purposely obstruct, delay, or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by blocking a public road or highway, or to attempt or conspire so to do.
2Penalty: Violators may be fined, imprisoned for up to 5 years, or both.
3Scope of conduct: Applies to blocking a public road or highway “in any way or degree,” with intent to obstruct commerce.
4Conforming amendments:
5- The heading of section 1951 is changed to remove “by threats or violence.”
6- The table of sections for chapter 95 is updated to reflect the new interferences with commerce statute.
7- Cross-reference adjustments remove references to “threats or violence” in related provisions (including certain definitions in 5 U.S.C. and other parts of Title 18).
8Relationship to existing law: The new offense sits alongside existing §1951 but shifts away from requiring threats or violence as a trigger, by focusing on blocking roads to affect commerce and broadening the concept of obstruction regardless of violence.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Protesters and activists who engage in road blockades are directly at risk of federal charges if their actions interfere with interstate commerce.- Drivers, commuters, and businesses reliant on road networks (especially those involving interstate commerce) could face delays and disruption.- Federal prosecutors and law enforcement would have a new tool to address road blockages impacting commerce.Secondary group/area affected- State and local governments, as road blockages often involve local or state roads; potential interactions with state criminal laws on obstruction.- Civil liberties organizations and First Amendment advocates who monitor protests and crowd-control issues.- Legal community, including defense and civil rights lawyers, who may confront questions about free speech versus compelled commerce restrictions.Additional impacts- Civil liberties concerns: The broad standard “in any way or degree” and “attempt or conspire so to do” raise questions about potential chilling effects on protests and free speech.- Clarity and enforcement: Some ambiguity may arise around what constitutes “blocking a public road,” what degree of obstruction counts, and how “affecting commerce” is measured, which could affect how the law is applied.- Federalism and preemption: As a federal offense, the bill could interact with state obstruction laws and local policing practices; questions may arise about where federal jurisdiction is triggered (e.g., when interstate commerce is affected).- Policy trade-offs: Supporters may view this as necessary to protect commerce and infrastructure; critics may worry about punishing non-violent civil disobedience and the potential for overreach.The offense targets blocking public roads, not just violence, which distinguishes it from some traditional obstruction statutes tied to threats or force.The “attempt or conspire so to do” clause means planning to block a road could itself trigger criminal penalties, even if a blockage never fully occurs.The use of “commerce” in this context follows federal obstruction statutes that regulate interference with interstate or foreign commerce, potentially covering a wide range of activities beyond just the blocked road itself.

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