S.Amdt. 4299

SA 4299. Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 7147, making
further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. _____. CIVIL ACTION FOR DEPRIVATION OF RIGHTS.

Section 1979 of the Revised Statutes of the United States
(42 U.S.C. 1983) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Every'' and inserting the following:
``(a) In this section, the term `public employer' means a
Federal law enforcement agency that, at the time of a
deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities
described in section (b), employs, or contracts with an
individual to perform the duties of, a Federal law
enforcement officer or any other officer empowered by law to
execute searches, to seize evidence, or to make arrests.
``(b) Every'';
(2) in subsection (b), as so designated, by inserting ``the
United States or'' before ``any State''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) If, while acting under color of law, any officer who
is empowered by law to execute searches, to seize evidence,
or to make arrests subjects or causes to be subjected any
citizen of the United States or other person within the
jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights,
privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and
laws, the public employer of that officer shall be liable to
the party injured for the conduct of the officer in an action
at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for
redress, regardless of whether a policy or custom of the
public employer caused the violation, and regardless of
whether the officer has any defense or immunity from suit or
liability. This paragraph shall constitute a waiver of
sovereign immunity of the United States with respect to
Federal law enforcement agencies for any claim brought under
this section. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to
limit or preclude any legal, equitable, or other remedy that
is available, under this section or under any other source of
law, against an individual officer.''.
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