---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1320a–8b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1320a–8b"
heading: "Attempts to interfere with administration of this chapter"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1320a-8b"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XI — General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification"
  - "Part A — General Provisions"
---

# §1320a–8b. Attempts to interfere with administration of this chapter


Whoever corruptly or by force or threats of force ([including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) any threatening letter or communication) attempts to intimidate or impede any officer, employee, or contractor of the [Social](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=20) Security [Administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10) ([including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) any [State](/usc/42/619.md?p=5) employee of a disability determination service or any other individual designated by the Commissioner of [Social](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=20) Security) acting in an official capacity to carry out a duty under this chapter, or in any other way corruptly or by force or threats of force ([including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) any threatening letter or communication) obstructs or impedes, or attempts to obstruct or impede, the due [administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10) of this chapter, shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both, except that if the offense is committed only by threats of force, the [person](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-3) shall be fined not more than $3,000, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. In this subsection, the term “threats of force” means threats of harm to the officer or employee of the [United States](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-2) or to a contractor of the [Social](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=20) Security [Administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10), or to a member of the family of such an officer or employee or contractor.


## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XI, § 1129B, as added Pub. L. 108–203, title II, § 206, Mar. 2, 2004, 118 Stat. 512.)