Bill > HR5900

This bill establishes a joint task force through the Department of Defense to investigate and combat transnational cybercrimes, with a specific focus on scam operations linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific region. The task force will comprise representatives from multiple federal agencies, including the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Treasury, and intelligence agencies, as well as state and local government representatives and expert nonprofit organizations. The task force is required to submit a comprehensive report within one year detailing emerging trends in scam operations, including their methods of data theft, relationship with adversarial governments, land acquisition near military installations, and strategies for undermining U.S. diplomatic efforts. The report will also recommend policy options to prevent and penalize these scam networks, propose a framework to support affected populations, and assess the scale of scam centers in Southeast Asia. The bill highlights the significant economic impact of these scams, noting that China-linked transnational organized crime groups are estimated to steal nearly $43.8 billion annually through digital scams, with hundreds of thousands of scam messages, emails, and phone calls reported in 2024 alone, causing substantial financial losses to Americans. The task force's authority will sunset five years after submitting the initial report, emphasizing the time-sensitive nature of addressing these cybercrime networks.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5900/all-info