Lt. Col. Brandon Shah Act

Terrorism Sentencing Integrity and Domestic Terrorism Accountability Act

Published: March 13, 2026
Author: Killian Yates
Site: Bald Eagle Party

The following bill draft is motivated by the terrorist shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 12, 2026. According to current reporting, the attack is being investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism, and the suspect had previously been convicted in federal court for attempting to provide material support to ISIS before being released from prison in December 2024. The attack resulted in the death of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah and injuries to others.

This legislation is written from a simple premise: if an individual is convicted on a terrorism-related offense, especially one involving material support, weapons of mass destruction, or conduct connected to ideological violence, that sentence should be served in full. It also closes the gap on domestic terrorism by tying qualifying federal offenses to clear sentencing consequences rather than leaving domestic terrorism as a concept with limited standalone sentencing effect.

A BILL

To strengthen sentencing requirements for terrorism offenses, eliminate early release for individuals convicted of terrorism-related crimes, and extend mandatory penalties to acts of domestic terrorism.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Terrorism Sentencing Integrity and Domestic Terrorism Accountability Act.”

SECTION 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

1. On March 12, 2026, a terrorist attack occurred at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
2. The perpetrator had previously been convicted in Federal court for attempting to provide material support to the terrorist organization known as ISIS.
3. After being released from Federal custody in December 2024, that individual carried out a shooting attack targeting persons associated with a university Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
4. The attack resulted in the death of Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, a United States Army officer and ROTC instructor, and serious injuries to others.
5. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has stated that the attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
6. The incident demonstrates that individuals convicted of terrorism offenses may remain capable of carrying out acts of extreme violence when released before full service of sentence.
7. Congress therefore finds it necessary to require full service of sentence for terrorism-related convictions, establish substantial mandatory minimum penalties, and apply enforceable sentencing consequences to domestic terrorism-related offenses.

SECTION 3. MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES FOR TERRORISM OFFENSES.

Chapter 113B of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2339C the following:

“§ 2339D. Mandatory minimum penalties for terrorism offenses”

(a) Mandatory Minimum. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person convicted of—

1. an offense under this chapter;
2. providing material support to terrorists under section 2339A;
3. providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization under section 2339B;
4. use, attempted use, or conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction under section 2332a; or
5. any Federal offense determined to be a Federal crime of terrorism as defined in section 2332b(g)(5),

shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 30 years.

(b) Death or Serious Bodily Injury. If the offense results in death, attempted murder, or serious bodily injury, the offender shall be sentenced to life imprisonment.

SECTION 4. DOMESTIC TERRORISM SENTENCING.

(a) Amendment to Section 2331. Section 2331 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(6) Domestic terrorism sentencing provision.— Any person convicted in a Federal court of an offense that meets the definition of domestic terrorism under paragraph (5) shall be subject to the penalties established under section 2339D.”

(b) Designation Authority. A Federal court may designate an offense as domestic terrorism for purposes of sentencing under section 2339D if the offense—

1. involves acts dangerous to human life;
2. violates the criminal laws of the United States or of any State; and
3. appears intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of government by mass destruction, assassination, kidnapping, targeted violence, or comparable ideological violence.

(c) Rule of Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit prosecution under any other provision of Federal criminal law, including laws concerning murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, explosives, firearms, civil rights violations, or weapons of mass destruction.

SECTION 5. FULL SERVICE OF SENTENCE REQUIRED.

Section 3624 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(g) Full-Term Service for Terrorism Offenses.—

1. A person convicted of an offense described in section 2339D shall serve the entire term of imprisonment imposed by the court.
2. Such persons shall not be eligible for parole, good conduct time reductions, early release programs, sentence reductions, compassionate release, hospice release, medical release, or any other administrative or judicial reduction in sentence.
3. Each year of imprisonment imposed for a terrorism offense shall equal one year served in Federal custody without reduction.”

SECTION 6. APPLICABILITY.

This Act shall apply to all offenses committed on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

SECTION 7. PURPOSE AND EFFECT.

The purpose of this Act is to eliminate sentence dilution in terrorism-related cases, create a uniform mandatory minimum floor for terrorism-connected offenses, and ensure that domestic terrorism is not treated as a politically charged label without corresponding sentencing consequences under federal law.

This Act is intended to make clear that providing money, assistance, planning, equipment, services, logistical support, or other material aid tied to terrorism is not a peripheral offense. It is participation in the chain of violence itself and shall be punished accordingly.

Source References

• Associated Press — Old Dominion shooter convicted of Islamic State ties released from prison just 2 years before attack
• Associated Press — ROTC students at Old Dominion University subdued and killed shooter who left 1 dead, 2 hurt
• FBI — Seeking Information on the shooting that occurred on the Old Dominion University Campus on 03/12/26

This draft is a policy proposal prepared for public discussion and publication. It is not legal advice and is not an officially introduced bill.