Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act of 2021

To amend title 18, United States Code, to increase penalties for certain computer fraud and related offenses that involve critical infrastructure, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act of 2021 2. Fraud and related activity in connection with critical infrastructure Section 1030(c) of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (4)(G), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following: (5) a fine under this title and imprisonment for not less than 30 years or for life, in the case of an offense that involves critical infrastructure (as such term is defined in section 1016(e) of Public Law 107–56 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e) . 3. Imposition of sanctions with respect to foreign persons that knowingly access critical infrastructure (a) Imposition of sanctions The President shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person that the President determines knowingly accesses or attempts to access critical infrastructure (as such term is defined in section 1016(e) of Public Law 107–56 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e) (1) the national security or defense of the United States; or (2) the safety and security of any United States citizen or alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. (b) Sanctions described (1) In general The sanctions described in this subsection with respect to a foreign person determined by the President to be subject to subsection (a) are the following: (A) Asset blocking The President shall exercise of all powers granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. (B) Inadmissibility of certain individuals (i) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole In the case of a foreign person who is an individual, the foreign person is— (I) inadmissible to the United States; (II) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and (III) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. (ii) Current visas revoked (I) In general In the case of a foreign person who is an individual, the visa or other documentation issued to the person shall be revoked, regardless of when such visa or other documentation is or was issued. (II) Effect of revocation A revocation under subclause (I) shall— (aa) take effect immediately; and (bb) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the person’s possession. (2) Penalties A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1705 (3) Exception to comply with United Nations Headquarters Agreement Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply to a foreign person who is an individual if admitting the person into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations. (c) Waiver The President may, on a case-by-case basis and for periods not to exceed 180 days, waive the application of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 15 days before such waiver is to take effect that the waiver is vital to the national security interests of the United States. (d) Implementation authority The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) for purposes of carrying out this section. (e) Regulatory authority (1) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary for the implementation of this section. (2) Notification to Congress Not less than 10 days before the promulgation of regulations under paragraph (1), the President shall notify and provide to the appropriate congressional committees the proposed regulations and an identification of the provisions of this section that the regulations are implementing. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Admitted; alien The terms admitted alien 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) (2) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. (3) Foreign person The term foreign person (4) Knowingly The term knowingly (5) Person The term person (6) Property; interest in property The terms property interest in property property property interest (7) United States person The term United States person (A) an individual who is a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States; (B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; or (C) any person in the United States.

Summary: Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act of 2021 This bill increases federal criminal penalties for computer fraud and abuse offenses that involve critical infrastructure. The term critical infrastructure means systems and assets, physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health and safety, or any combination of those matters. Specifically, the bill imposes a fine, a mandatory minimum prison term of 30 years, or both for a computer fraud or abuse offense that involves critical infrastructure. Additionally, the bill directs the President to impose asset- and visa-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that access or attempt to access critical infrastructure.