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119-hr-10575119th CongressWALLET

Deterring Extraterritorial Foreign Exploitation of Networks Damaging Intellectual Property (DEFEND IP) Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]

Introduced

Summary

Authorizes courts to order U.S. internet providers to block foreign digital piracy sites. This bill would create a federal process that lets copyright owners get a court designation of a foreign online location and then seek orders directing broadband and large public domain name services to stop U.S. users from accessing it.

Show full summary
  • Copyright owners could petition a court to label a site a "foreign digital piracy site" and then seek provider-directed blocking. Petitions must show likely infringement, provide notice, and designations generally expire after 360 days.
  • Broadband providers with at least 50,000 subscribers and large public DNS operators could be required to take reasonable measures to prevent access. Courts must consider burden, technical feasibility, interference with lawful sites, and providers have 20 days to contest inclusion and get broad immunity when complying in good faith.
  • Operators located abroad could contest designations by appearing in court, posting bond, and meeting court conditions. U.S. users may see blocked access and providers can pause compliance briefly to fix network or security issues.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Court orders to block foreign piracy sites

If enacted, the bill would let a copyright owner or exclusive licensee ask a U.S. district court to designate a foreign website as a "foreign digital piracy site." The petitioner must show ownership, likely infringement and irreparable harm, reasonable notice to the operator, and that the operator is not clearly in the U.S. Courts could act ex parte in some cases. A foreign operator would have 20 days to appear and contest. A designation would expire after 360 days if no provider-directed order is later sought. Provider orders would start as soon as practicable, usually run one year, and courts must notify the Register of Copyrights for public posting. These rules would begin 180 days after enactment.

Provider duties, costs, and legal protection

If enacted, covered providers who get a court order would have to take "reasonable measures" to stop U.S. users from reaching a listed piracy site. Providers could tell subscribers when access is blocked and may pause compliance briefly to fix network, security, or lawful-content problems. Providers would get broad immunity for good-faith actions taken under an order. A court could require the petitioner to pay reasonable direct costs of compliance, but not capital, overhead, or attorneys' fees, and such cost motions must be filed within 60 days after costs were incurred. These rules would begin 180 days after enactment.

Which internet companies can be ordered

If enacted, the bill would define which providers courts can order. A "broadband provider" would be covered only if it serves at least 50,000 subscribers. A public DNS resolver would be covered only if it has more than $100,000,000 in annual revenue. The law would exclude providers that only offer VPNs, only offer encrypted DNS, and many premises operators like coffee shops or libraries. The statute would also define a "foreign online location" as a public site outside the U.S. (or of indeterminate location) identified by IP or domain. These rules would begin 180 days after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

    VA • R

    Sponsored 9/24/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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