# 119-hr-1238: Cartel Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025

119-hr-1238, Cartel Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2] (R-TN); status introduced (as of 2026-07-24).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1238
- As of: 2026-07-24
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-1238
- Congress: 119
- Title: Cartel Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-02-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Burchett, Tim [R-TN-2] (R-TN)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-24

## Summary

**Authorizes the President to issue letters of marque and reprisal to respond to cartel aggression.** It centers presidential power on using private armed actors to punish, deter, and prevent transnational cartel threats. - Private contractors and armed groups: Would let privately armed and equipped persons be commissioned to locate, seize, and hold people and property outside U.S. territory under presidential instructions. Issuance of a letter would require posting a security bond in an amount the President sets. - Cartel-affiliated individuals: People the President determines are cartel members, cartel-linked, or conspirators could be seized or have property taken abroad. - Legal definition and scope: Targets are tied to organizations named in the January 20, 2025 Executive Order and to the statutory definition of transnational criminal organizations in Public Law 118-50, shaping who qualifies for action.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8] (R-IN), 2025-02-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brecheen, Josh [R-OK-2] (R-OK), 2025-02-18T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Private groups could target cartels abroad: benefit, high. If enacted, the President could issue official letters to private armed groups to act against cartels abroad. They could seize people and property tied to cartels, but only outside U.S. territory. Targets would need to be members or associates responsible for an act of aggression against the United…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-hr-925: Dismantle DEI Act of 2025
- 119-hr-404: Hearing Protection Act
- 119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
- 119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-1238 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1238)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [119-hr-925: Dismantle DEI Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-925)
- [119-hr-404: Hearing Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-404)
- [119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1422)
- [119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-425)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1238 (as of 2026-07-24).