John Cornyn (R-TX)
Stop PRC Economic Espionage Act of 2026
A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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
This bill is known as the Stop PRC Economic Espionage Act of 2026. It was introduced in the Senate by Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Cotton on July 16, 2026. The legislation amends title 18 of the United States Code. Its main purpose is to change how the law defines a foreign instrumentality regarding the prohibition on economic espionage. Specifically, it expands the definition to include certain entities based in foreign adversary countries. The bill was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +5
Does this make patent and copyright rules fairer?
Safeguards domestic technology and intellectual property from foreign state-backed economic espionage.
- Scored +4
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?
Enhances national security by strengthening legal definitions and enforcement against economic espionage from foreign adversaries.
- Scored +3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Helps protect businesses from unfair theft of trade secrets by foreign adversary entities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Strengthens Economic Security: Section 2 updates the definition of a foreign instrumentality for economic espionage prohibitions. By including any entity domiciled in a covered nation under section 4872 of title 10, the bill ensures that companies based in these specific foreign adversary countries are clearly categorized under economic espionage laws, which helps protect American trade secrets and technology.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Lack of Explicit Text for Negative Impacts: Based strictly on the provided text, there are no specific sections or provisions identified that outline negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
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.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make patent and copyright rules fairer? — Safeguards domestic technology and intellectual property from foreign state-backed economic espionage.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — Enhances national security by strengthening legal definitions and enforcement against economic espionage from foreign adversaries.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Helps protect businesses from unfair theft of trade secrets by foreign adversary entities.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Protects American intellectual property and trade secrets from foreign economic espionage, securing domestic economic assets.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Expands federal statutory definitions related to foreign economic espionage enforcement.
- 7/16/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tom CottonRepublican · Arkansas