18 U.S.C. § 43 — Force, violence, and threats involving animal enterprises

(a) Offense. This section punishes anyone who travels across state or national lines, or who uses the mail or another tool of interstate or foreign commerce, if two things are both true. First, they do this for the purpose of damaging or interfering with an animal enterprise's operations. Second, in connection with that purpose, they do at least one of these things: (A) intentionally damage or destroy real or personal property — including animals or records — that an animal enterprise uses, or property belonging to a person or business connected to an animal enterprise; (B) intentionally make someone reasonably afraid that they, their immediate family, or their spouse or intimate partner will be killed or seriously hurt, through a pattern of threats, vandalism, property damage, trespassing, harassment, or intimidation; or (C) conspire or attempt to do either of those things. Anyone who does this is punished as described in subsection (b). (b) Penalties. The punishment depends on how much harm the offense causes. (1) A fine, up to one year in prison, or both, if the offense doesn't put anyone in reasonable fear of serious injury or death, and either causes no economic damage or bodily injury, or causes economic damage of $10,000 or less. (2) A fine, up to five years, or both, if there's no bodily injury, and either the economic damage is more than $10,000 but not more than $100,000, or the offense does put someone in reasonable fear of serious injury or death. (3) A fine, up to ten years, or both, if the economic damage is more than $100,000, or if the offense causes substantial bodily injury to someone. (4) A fine, up to twenty years, or both, if the offense causes serious bodily injury, or if the economic damage is more than $1,000,000. (5) Life in prison, any number of years in prison, a fine, or both, if the offense causes someone's death. (c) Restitution. If a court orders restitution under section 3663 or 3663A of this title for a violation of this section, that restitution can also cover: (1) the reasonable cost of repeating an experiment that the offense interrupted or ruined; (2) lost food production or farm income that the offense reasonably caused; and (3) any other economic damage caused by the offense, including losses from economic disruption. (d) Definitions. This subsection defines five terms used in the section. (1) "Animal enterprise" means: (A) a business or academic enterprise that uses or sells animals or animal products for profit, food, fiber, agriculture, education, research, or testing; (B) a zoo, aquarium, animal shelter, pet store, breeder, furrier, circus, rodeo, or other lawful competitive animal event; or (C) a fair or similar event meant to promote agriculture. (2) "Course of conduct" means a pattern of two or more acts that show a continuing purpose. (3) "Economic damage" (A) means the cost of replacing lost or damaged property or records, the cost of repeating an interrupted or ruined experiment, lost profits, or increased costs — including costs caused by threats, vandalism, property damage, trespassing, harassment, or intimidation aimed at someone because of their connection to an animal enterprise. (B) But it does not include lawful economic disruption — including a lawful boycott — that results from a lawful public, government, or business reaction to information becoming known about an animal enterprise. (4) "Serious bodily injury" means: (A) an injury that risks death; (B) extreme physical pain; (C) lasting, obvious disfigurement; or (D) a lasting loss or impairment of a body part, organ, or mental function. (5) "Substantial bodily injury" means: (A) deep cuts, serious burns, or abrasions; (B) short-term or non-obvious disfigurement; (C) broken or dislocated bones, or torn body parts; (D) significant physical pain; (E) illness; (F) a short-term loss or impairment of a body part, organ, or mental function; or (G) any other significant bodily injury. (e) Rules of Construction. Nothing in this section should be read to: (1) ban expressive conduct — including peaceful picketing or other peaceful demonstrations — that the First Amendment protects from legal punishment; (2) create new legal remedies for interference with activities protected by the First Amendment's free speech or free exercise clauses, no matter what viewpoint is expressed, or to limit any remedies that already exist for that kind of interference; or (3) make this section's criminal penalties or civil remedies the only ones available for the conduct it bans, or to override state or local laws that offer their own penalties or remedies for the same conduct.