Bill Summary
The "Scam Farms Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025" is a proposed legislation that empowers the President of the United States to issue letters of marque and reprisal. These letters would authorize private individuals or entities, equipped to engage in armed actions, to take necessary measures against individuals or entities involved in cybercrimes that threaten U.S. economic and national security. The Act recognizes the significant danger posed by criminal enterprises that utilize cyber methods, including scams and data theft.
Key provisions include:
1. **Presidential Authority**: The President is granted the authority to commission private operators to act against those identified as members of criminal enterprises responsible for acts of aggression against the U.S.
2. **Security Bonds**: Before a letter of marque can be issued, the President must require a security bond to ensure that actions taken under the letter are executed appropriately.
3. **Definitions**: The legislation outlines what constitutes cybercrime, including various forms of unauthorized computer access, fraud, identity theft, and specific scams like ransomware and cryptocurrency theft.
Overall, the Act seeks to bolster U.S. defenses against cyber threats by allowing a more aggressive and proactive response to such crimes.
Possible Impacts
The "Scam Farms Marque and Reprisal Authorization Act of 2025" could affect people in several ways:
1. **Increased Vigilance and Security Measures**: Individuals and businesses may need to enhance their cybersecurity measures in response to the potential for retaliation against cybercriminals. This could include investing in better security software, employee training, and monitoring systems to protect against threats like identity theft or ransomware attacks.
2. **Legal and Ethical Concerns**: The issuance of letters of marque and reprisal could raise significant ethical and legal questions about the use of private actors to engage in actions that might resemble vigilantism. This could affect public trust in government actions and create anxiety about the potential for abuse, particularly regarding targeting individuals or entities without due process.
3. **Economic Impact on Targeted Communities**: If the legislation leads to aggressive actions against foreign criminal enterprises, it could strain diplomatic relations, affecting trade and economic interactions. This could have repercussions for individuals in both the U.S. and target countries, potentially leading to job losses or economic instability in regions linked to the targeted enterprises.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4988 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4988
To authorize the President of the United States to issue letters of
marque and reprisal with respect to acts of aggression against the
United States a member of a criminal enterprise or any conspirator
associated with an enterprise involved in cybercrimes, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 15, 2025
Mr. Schweikert introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the President of the United States to issue letters of
marque and reprisal with respect to acts of aggression against the
United States a member of a criminal enterprise or any conspirator
associated with an enterprise involved in cybercrimes, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Scam Farms Marque and Reprisal
Authorization Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution grants the
Congress the power to grant letters of marque and reprisal to
punish, deter, and prevent the acts of aggression and
depredations and other acts of war committed by scam centers.
(2) Criminal enterprises that employ cybercrimes and
coerced labor present an unusual and extraordinary threat to
the economic and national security of the United States.
SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF LETTERS OF MARQUE AND REPRISAL.
(a) Authority of President.--The President of the United States is
authorized and requested to commission, under officially issued letters
of marque and reprisal, so many of privately armed and equipped persons
and entities as, in the judgment of the President, the service may
require, with suitable instructions to the leaders thereof, to employ
all means reasonably necessary to seize outside the geographic
boundaries of the United States and its territories the person and
property of any individual or foreign government, as applicable, who
the President determines is a member of a criminal enterprise or any
conspirator associated with an enterprise involved in cybercrime who is
responsible for an act of aggression against the United States.
(b) Security Bonds.--No letter of marque and reprisal shall be
issued by the President without requiring the posting of a security
bond in such amount as the President shall determine is sufficient to
ensure that the letter be executed according to the terms and
conditions thereof.
(c) Definitions.--For the purposes of this section--
(1) the term ``cybercrime'' includes--
(A) an offense under section 1030 of title 18,
United States Code;
(B) accessing a computer without authorization to
obtain national security information, including sharing
or retaining such information;
(C) accessing a computer without authorization to
obtain personally identifiable information;
(D) accessing a Government computer without
authorization;
(E) accessing a computer without authorization to
engage in fraud;
(F) causing damage to a computer by transmitting a
program, information, code, or command;
(G) trafficking in passwords or other means of
accessing a computer without authorization;
(H) a pig butchering scam;
(I) a ransomware attack;
(J) cryptocurrency theft; or
(K) identity theft; and
(2) the term ``criminal enterprise'' includes a foreign
government.
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