18 U.S.C. § 1505 — Obstruction of proceedings before departments, agencies, and committees

A person commits the offense by willfully withholding, misrepresenting, removing, concealing, covering up, destroying, mutilating, altering, or otherwise falsifying documentary material, answers to written interrogatories, or oral testimony that is the subject of a properly made civil investigative demand under the Antitrust Civil Process Act, when the person intends to avoid, evade, prevent, or obstruct compliance in whole or in part. The person also commits the offense by attempting to do so or soliciting another person to do so. A person also commits the offense by corruptly, or by threats or force or a threatening letter or communication, influencing, obstructing, or impeding, or trying to influence, obstruct, or impede, the proper administration of the law under which a pending proceeding is before a United States department^* or agency^*, or the proper exercise of the power of inquiry involved in an inquiry or investigation by either House, a committee of either House, or a joint committee of Congress. The person may be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both. If the offense involves international or domestic terrorism, as defined in section 2331, the person may be imprisoned for not more than 8 years, fined, or both.