Combatting Foreign Surveillance Spyware Sanctions Act

Bill: 118-hr-5557
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Himes, James A. [D-CT-4]
Introduced: 2023-09-19
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Civil actions and liability

Computer security and identity theft

Crime prevention

Criminal procedure and sentencing

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

First Amendment rights

Foreign and international banking

Foreign property

Human rights

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Right of privacy

Sanctions

Subversive activities

Visas and passports
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-05
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 118-802, Part I.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5557 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 19, 2023 Mr. Himes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary , and Financial Services , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To impose sanctions against certain persons engaged in the proliferation or use of foreign commercial spyware, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Combatting Foreign Surveillance Spyware Sanctions Act . 2. Sanctions for proliferation or use of foreign commercial spyware (a) Policy It is the policy of the United States— (1) to act decisively against counterintelligence threats posed by foreign commercial spyware by degrading the ability of companies selling foreign commercial spyware to provide their services to users who act contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States; (2) to act decisively against the individuals who lead entities selling foreign commercial spyware and who are involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States; and (3) to deter the use of foreign commercial spyware for improper purposes, such as to— (A) target and intimidate perceived opponents; (B) curb dissent; (C) limit freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, or association; (D) enable other human rights abuses or suppression of civil liberties; or (E) track or target United States persons. (b) Discretionary sanctions In order to advance the policy objectives under subsection (a), the President may impose the sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to— (1) a covered entity the President determines to pose a risk to the national security of the United States which knowingly develops, maintains, owns, operates, brokers, markets, sells, leases, licenses, or otherwise makes available spyware that has enabled the targeting of United States Government officials, or personnel of the intelligence community; (2) any foreign person who— (A) is a current or former senior officer of an entity described in paragraph (1); and (B) knowingly engages in the sale of foreign commercial spyware that allows for the targeting of United States Government officials, or personnel of the intelligence community; or (3) any foreign person who— (A) is an official of a foreign government or is acting for or on behalf of such official; and (B) knowingly engages in the targeting of United States Government officials, or personnel of the intelligence community through the use of foreign commercial spyware. (c) Sanctions described The sanctions described in this subsection are the following: (1) Blocking of property The President may exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq. ) (except that the requirements of section 202 of such Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 ) shall not apply) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of a person determined by the President to be subject to subsection (b) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or come within the possession or control of a United States person. (2) Inadmissibility to the United States and revocation of visa or other documentation (A) Ineligibility for visa, admission, or parole In the case of a foreign person determined by the President to be subject to subsection (b) 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. ). (B) Current visa revoked In the case of a foreign person determined by the President to be subject to subsection (b) who is an individual, the visa or other entry documentation of the person shall be revoked, regardless of when such visa or other entry documentation is or was issued. A revocation under this subparagraph shall take effect immediately and automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the person’s possession. (C) Exception to comply with international obligations Sanctions under this subsection shall not apply with respect to a foreign person if admitting or paroling 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. (d) Implementation; penalties (1) Implementation The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this subsection and shall issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as are necessary to carry out this subsection. (2) Penalties Any person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this subsection or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out paragraph (1) shall be subject to the penalties provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ( 50 U.S.C. 1705 ) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section. (e) Intelligence and law enforcement activities Sanctions under this section shall not apply with respect to— (1) any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq. ); or (2) any authorized intelligence or law enforcement activities of the United States. (f) United states government activities Nothing in this Act may be construed to prohibit transactions associated with the official business of the Federal Government as carried out by employees, grantees, or contractors. (g) Humanitarian activities The President may not impose sanctions under this section with respect to any person for conducting or facilitating a transaction for the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices or for the provision of humanitarian assistance. (h) Exception relating to importation of goods (1) In general The authorities to impose sanctions authorized under this section shall not include the authority to impose sanctions on the importation of goods. (2) Good defined In this subsection, the term good means any article, natural, or manmade substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data. (i) International financial institutions The Secretary of the Treasury may instruct the United States Executive Director at the international financial institutions (as defined under section 1701(c) of the International Financial Institutions Act) to use the voice and vote of the United States to oppose financial assistance to a foreign government that the Secretary finds has targeted United States Government officials or personnel of the intelligence community with foreign commercial spyware. (j) Sunset The authority to impose a new sanction under subsection (b) shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. (k) Definitions In this section: (1) Foreign commercial spyware; foreign company; spyware; covered entity The terms foreign commercial spyware , foreign company , spyware , and covered entity have the meanings given those terms in section 1102A of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3231 et seq. ). (2) Foreign person The term foreign person means a person that is not a United States person. (3) Knowingly The term knowingly with respect to conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the circumstance, or the result. (4) United States person The term United States person means— (A) 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 of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; or (C) a person in the United States.