§ 1951. — Interference with commerce by threats or violence.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC1951]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 95--RACKETEERING
Sec. 1951. Interference with commerce by threats or violence
(a) Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects
commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by
robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or
threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of
a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or
both.
(b) As used in this section--
(1) The term ``robbery'' means the unlawful taking or obtaining
of personal property from the person or in the presence of another,
against his will, by means of actual or threatened force, or
violence, or fear of injury, immediate or future, to his person or
property, or property in his custody or possession, or the person or
property of a relative or member of his family or of anyone in his
company at the time of the taking or obtaining.
(2) The term ``extortion'' means the obtaining of property from
another, with his consent, induced by wrongful use of actual or
threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official
right.
(3) The term ``commerce'' means commerce within the District of
Columbia, or any Territory or Possession of the United States; all
commerce between any point in a State, Territory, Possession, or the
District of Columbia and any point outside thereof; all commerce
between points within the same State through any place outside such
State; and all other commerce over which the United States has
jurisdiction.
(c) This section shall not be construed to repeal, modify or affect
section 17 of Title 15, sections 52, 101-115, 151-166 of Title 29 or
sections 151-188 of Title 45.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 793; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII,
Sec. 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Secs. 420a-420e-1 (June 18,
1934, ch. 569, Secs. 1-6, 48 Stat. 979, 980; July 3, 1946, ch. 537, 60
Stat. 420).
Section consolidates sections 420a to 420e-1 of Title 18, U.S.C.,
1940 ed., with changes in phraseology and arrangement necessary to
effect consolidation.
Provisions designating offense as felony were omitted as unnecessary
in view of definitive section 1 of this title. (See reviser's note under
section 550 of this title.)
Subsection (c) of the revised section is derived from title II of
the 1946 amendment. It substitutes references to specific sections of
the United States Code, 1940 ed., in place of references to numerous
acts of Congress, in conformity to the style of the revision bill.
Subsection (c) as rephrased will preclude any construction of implied
repeal of the specified acts of Congress codified in the sections
enumerated.
The words ``attempts or conspires so to do'' were substituted for
sections 3 and 4 of the 1946 act, omitting as unnecessary the words
``participates in an attempt'' and the words ``or acts in concert with
another or with others'', in view of section 2 of this title which makes
any person who participates in an unlawful enterprise or aids or assists
the principal offender, or does anything towards the accomplishment of
the crime, a principal himself.
Words ``shall, upon conviction thereof,'' were omitted as
surplusage, since punishment cannot be imposed until a conviction is
secured.
References in Text
Sections 101-115 of Title 29, referred to in subsec. (c), is a
reference to act Mar. 23, 1932, ch. 90, 47 Stat. 70, popularly known as
the Norris-LaGuardia Act. For complete classification of this Act to the
Code, see Short Title note set out under section 101 of Title 29, Labor,
and Tables.
Section 11 of that act, formerly classified to section 111 of Title
29, was repealed and reenacted as section 3692 of this title by act June
25, 1948, ch. 645, Sec. 21, 62 Stat. 862, eff. Sept. 1, 1948.
Section 12 of that act, formerly classified to section 112 of Title
29, was repealed by act June 25, 1948, and is covered by rule 42(b) of
the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, set out in Appendix to this
title.
Section 164 of Title 45, included within the reference in subsec.
(c) to sections 151-188 of Title 45, was repealed by act Oct. 10, 1940,
ch. 851, Sec. 4, 54 Stat. 1111. See section 5 of Title 41, Public
Contracts.
Section 186 of Title 45, included within the reference in subsec.
(c) to sections 151-188 of Title 45, was omitted from the Code.
Amendments
1994--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this
title'' for ``fined not more than $10,000''.
Short Title
This section is popularly known as the ``Hobbs Act''.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 1961, 2516 of this title;
title 26 section 6050I; title 29 section 1111.
