“The brave Arkansans who serve in our National Guard should be protected from deranged individuals. My bill ensures that anyone who attempts to intimidate or harass a Guardsmen will face the full force of the law,” said Senator Cotton.

Text of the bill can be found here.

The National Guard Protective Zone Act would:

• Create a federally defined “protective zone” (15 feet) around any Guardsman in uniform actively performing Title 32 or Title 10 domestic duties.
• Mandate that entering the zone with intent to intimidate, harass, or impede equates to a new federal misdemeanor.
• Establish as a felony the act of touching, spitting on, or throwing any object at a National Guard member while on duty, with a maximum penalty of imprisonment for up to five years.