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119-s-3567119th Congress

Cartel Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Lee, Mike [R-UT]

Introduced

Summary

Letters of marque and reprisal would let the President commission private, armed people and companies to seize the person and property of individuals he determines are cartel members or conspirators outside the geographic boundaries of the United States and its territories. The bill declares cartels an unusual and extraordinary national security and foreign policy threat and requires any commissioned actor to post a security bond set by the President.

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  • President: Authorizes and requests the President to commission as many privately armed and equipped persons and entities as the President determines are required and to give suitable instructions to their leaders.
  • Private actors: Permits commissioned private actors to employ all means reasonably necessary to seize persons and property abroad when acting under a letter of marque and reprisal and requires a security bond in a sum the President determines.
  • Targets: Defines “cartel” by reference to the January 20, 2025 Executive Order listing cartels and to the statutory definition of “transnational criminal organization” in Public Law 118-50 (21 U.S.C. 2341(5)).

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Private groups could seize cartel suspects

If enacted, the President would be able to commission private armed groups under letters of marque and reprisal. Those commissions would operate outside U.S. borders. They would be allowed to seize people and property of persons the President determines are cartel members or conspirators. Targets must be responsible for an act of aggression against the United States. Commissions would be allowed to employ "all means reasonably necessary" to carry out seizures. No letter could be issued unless the person or entity posts a security bond in an amount the President sets. For this section, "cartel" would mean an organization named in the January 20, 2025 Executive Order or a transnational criminal organization as defined at 21 U.S.C. 2341(5). This section would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Lee, Mike [R-UT]

UT • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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