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119-hr-4988119th Congress

Scam Farms Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Schweikert, David [R-AZ-1]

Introduced

Summary

Authorize letters of marque and reprisal against cybercriminal enterprises. This bill would let the President commission private armed and equipped persons and entities to seize abroad the persons and property of individuals or foreign governments tied to specified cybercrimes. It defines a broad list of cyber offenses and treats a foreign government as a possible criminal enterprise for these actions.

Show full summary
  • Private contractors and leaders: The President could commission privately armed persons and entities and instruct their leaders to use all means reasonably necessary to seize people and property outside U.S. boundaries. Each letter would require a security bond in an amount the President sets.
  • Targets and accountability: Individuals, criminal networks, and foreign governments labeled as criminal enterprises could be targeted for extraterritorial seizure under these letters of marque and reprisal.
  • Scope and definitions: "Cybercrime" is defined to include offenses such as violations of 18 U.S.C. 1030, unauthorized access to government or personal data, ransomware, pig butchering scams, cryptocurrency theft, identity theft, password trafficking, and related fraud or damage-causing acts.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

President could authorize private cyber hunters

If enacted, the President could issue letters of marque to private people or companies. They would be allowed to use armed force to seize people and property outside the United States. Targets would be individuals or foreign governments the President decides took part in a criminal cyber enterprise that attacked the U.S. A security bond, set by the President, would be required to get a letter. The bill defines cybercrime to include hacking, ransomware, identity theft, cryptocurrency theft, pig-butchering scams, and illegal access to government computers.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schweikert, David [R-AZ-1]

AZ • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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