U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have introduced the Special Operator Protection Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at safeguarding the identities of Special Operations Forces (SOF), federal law enforcement officers attached to SOF, and other Department of Defense personnel involved in sensitive missions. The legislation would create criminal penalties for doxing—publicly releasing personally identifiable information—of these individuals.
The House version of the bill is being led by Representatives Richard Hudson (R-N.C.-09) and Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.-10).
Senator Budd stated, “As recent events underscore, our SOF operators put themselves in extreme danger in service to our nation. These heroes should not fear for their personal safety or their families’ security after they return home from sensitive missions. There is no compelling reason for their identities to be made public, especially given the significant risks from foreign threats. I’m proud to work with Senator Shaheen as well as Representatives Hudson and Harrigan to introduce the Special Operator Protection Act to set reasonable criminal penalties for doxing America’s most elite servicemembers, and to protect them and their loved ones from harassment and harm at home.”
Senator Shaheen added, “Special operators lead our military’s highest-risk missions. With an increasingly complex array of global threats, they should be protected from foreign adversaries who seek to harm them. This bipartisan bill would help shield those who put their lives on the line to advance America’s national security.”
Representative Hudson commented on his support: “As Fort Bragg’s congressman, I know our Special Operations Forces take on the most dangerous missions in defense of this country, and they shouldn’t have to worry about their own or their families’ safety when they return home. The Special Operator Protection Act closes a clear gap in the law and makes one thing clear: if you recklessly expose our nation’s heroes, there will be consequences.”
Representative Harrigan drew on his experience as a former SOF member: “I served as a Special Operations servicemember, and I don’t care what your politics are, or whether you agreed with the Venezuela operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro or not. When someone puts the name or image of a Special Operator out in public, that follows them home. It follows their family. It creates real risk long after the mission is over. I’ve lived that reality, and I’ve seen what exposure like that can do. That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the Special Operator Protection Act in the House. It closes a real hole in the law and makes sure our Special Operations Forces aren’t left exposed after carrying out some of the most dangerous missions this country asks anyone to do.”
The introduction of this legislation comes after attempts were made earlier this month to publicly identify U.S. special operators involved in capturing Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores during an operation in Venezuela—a move that raised concerns about operator safety.
If enacted, the bill would establish criminal penalties for releasing personally identifiable information about SOF members or supporting personnel—including names linked with employment locations; faces or likenesses connected with names; visual representations of residences tied with names; birth dates; Social Security numbers; phone numbers; emails; fax numbers; and biometric data—and impose enhanced penalties if such releases result in death or serious injury.
