A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Cyber Letters of Marque and Reprisal Act authorizes the President to commission private persons and entities to carry out limited cyberspace operations against designated foreign cyberthreats. These private actors can use offensive tools to disrupt, degrade, or seize assets located outside the United States. The goal is to deter cyberattacks, stop illicit networks, and recover stolen funds for American victims. The bill includes a bounty system for those who recover assets and provides legal protection from liability for authorized acts.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +7
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
Specifically mentions protecting seniors who are disproportionately harmed by crypto-scams.
- Scored +7
Would retired people be better off under this?
Aims to recover stolen life savings from cyber-enabled fraud.
- Scored +6
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?
Authorizes offensive operations to disrupt and degrade foreign cyberthreats.
The opposite
- Scored -6
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
Provides immunity from liability for authorized acts, removing legal recourse for affected parties.
- Scored -3
Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad?
Authorizing private offensive cyber operations against foreign entities could strain diplomatic relations.
- Scored -2
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Private contractors may operate with less transparency than government agencies.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Recovery of Stolen Funds: The bill aims to facilitate the return of stolen funds to American victims of cyber-enabled crime (Section 3).
- Protection of Vulnerable Populations: The bill addresses the fact that seniors and other vulnerable populations are disproportionately harmed by crypto-enabled scams and theft (Section 2).
- Funding for Crime Victims: Any recovered funds not used for bounties are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund (Section 5(f)(3)).
- Rewards for Information: People without a formal commission can receive up to 5 percent of recovered assets as a reward for providing information that leads to a recovery (Section 5(f)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Private Offensive Cyber Operations: The act allows private entities to use malware and other offensive tools to target digital infrastructure (Section 5(g)).
- Lack of Legal Recourse: No one can sue a holder of a letter of marque and reprisal in court for any act that was expressly authorized by their letter (Section 8).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — Aims to recover stolen life savings from cyber-enabled fraud. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Specifically mentions protecting seniors who are disproportionately harmed by crypto-scams. Would business owners be better off under this? — Allows private entities to engage in commissioned cyber operations for profit/bounties.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — Aims to recover stolen funds from crypto-scams and fraud targeting Americans. Is this likely to create jobs? — Creates potential for private sector entities to be commissioned for cyber operations.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — Authorizes offensive operations to disrupt and degrade foreign cyberthreats. Does this put more money into stopping terrorism? — Targets cyber-enabled financing of terrorism and sanctions evasion. Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad? — Authorizing private offensive cyber operations against foreign entities could strain diplomatic relations.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Grants the President significant authority to commission private actors for cyber warfare. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Provides immunity from liability for authorized acts, removing legal recourse for affected parties. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Private contractors may operate with less transparency than government agencies.
- 7/15/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.