The federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) was originally enacted in 1992 to prevent “physical disruption to the functioning of an animal enterprise.” In 2006, lawmakers significantly broadened the purpose of AETA to prohibit any person from “damaging or interfering with the operations of an animal enterprise.”

Public Law 109–374

109th Congress

Nov. 27, 2006

[S. 3880]

Animal

Enterprise

Terrorism Act.

18 USC 1 note.

An Act

To provide the Department of Justice the necessary authority to apprehend, pros-

ecute, and convict individuals committing animal enterprise terror.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Animal Enterprise Terrorism

Act’’.

SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF ECONOMIC DAMAGE TO ANIMAL ENTERPRISES

AND THREATS OF DEATH AND SERIOUS BODILY INJURY

TO ASSOCIATED PERSONS.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 43 of title 18, United States Code,

is amended to read as follows:

‘‘§ 43. Force, violence, and threats involving animal enter-

prises

‘‘(a) OFFENSE.—Whoever travels in interstate or foreign com-

merce, or uses or causes to be used the mail or any facility of

interstate or foreign commerce—

‘‘(1) for the purpose of damaging or interfering with the

operations of an animal enterprise; and

‘‘(2) in connection with such purpose—

‘‘(A) intentionally damages or causes the loss of any

real or personal property (including animals or records)

used by an animal enterprise, or any real or personal

property of a person or entity having a connection to,

relationship with, or transactions with an animal enter-

prise;

‘‘(B) intentionally places a person in reasonable fear

of the death of, or serious bodily injury to that person,

a member of the immediate family (as defined in section

115) of that person, or a spouse or intimate partner of

that person by a course of conduct involving threats, acts

of vandalism, property damage, criminal trespass, harass-

ment, or intimidation; or

‘‘(C) conspires or attempts to do so;

shall be punished as provided for in subsection (b).

‘‘(b) PENALTIES.—The punishment for a violation of section (a)

or an attempt or conspiracy to violate subsection (a) shall be—

‘‘(1) a fine under this title or imprisonment not more than

1 year, or both, if the offense does not instill in another the

reasonable fear of serious bodily injury or death and—