Text of Senate Amendment 6371

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Record: Senate Floor
Section type: Amendments
Chamber: Senate
Date: June 24, 2026
Congress: 119th Congress
Why this source matters: This section came from the Senate floor portion of the record.

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People mentioned: Cornyn, John
Committees: Committee on Foreign Relations, Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Readable version of the official text

SA 6371. Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of title XII, add the following:

Subtitle F—Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization

SEC. 1271. SHORT TITLE.

This subtitle may be cited as the “Scam Compound

Accountability and Mobilization Act”.

SEC. 1272. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) Transnational cyber-enabled fraud, particularly such

fraud that is perpetrated from scam compounds in Southeast

Asia, is a growing threat to citizens of the United States,

national security, and global economic interests.

(2) The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported

$17,697,074,980 in losses in the United States due to cyber-

enabled fraud during

2025, including schemes commonly perpetrated by significant

transnational criminal organizations that are operating scam

compounds.

(3) Annual global losses due to cyber-enabled fraud are

estimated at between $40,000,000,000 and $65,000,000,000, but

the actual amount is likely higher since many instances are

not reported.

(4) Significant transnational criminal organizations

responsible for a large proportion of these scam compounds—

(A) are affiliated with the People's Republic of China;

(B) are actively spreading propaganda on behalf of the

People's Republic of China;

(D) have brokered projects for the Belt and Road

Initiative.

(5) Significant transnational criminal organizations have

lured hundreds of thousands of human trafficking victims from

an estimated 80 countries to scam compounds, which are

located primarily in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos, for purposes

of forced criminality.

(6) Significant transnational criminal organizations are

expanding scam compounds internationally, including in

Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

(7) Money laundering, human trafficking, and recruitment

fraud related to such scam compounds have occurred in

Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

SEC. 1273. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that—

(1) the United States should redouble efforts to hold the

perpetrators and enablers of scam compound operations

accountable, including those involved in related money

laundering, human trafficking, and recruitment fraud, by

employing effective tools, such as targeted financial

sanctions, visa restrictions, asset seizures, and forfeiture;

(2) to enhance effective international cooperation and

responses against cyber-enabled fraud originating from scam

compounds internationally, the United States Government

should work with partner governments, multilateral

institutions, civil society experts, and private sector

stakeholders to improve information sharing, strengthen

preventative measures, raise public awareness, and increase

coordination on law enforcement investigations and regulatory

actions; and

(3) victims and survivors of human trafficking, including

for the purpose of forced criminality, require victim-

centered and trauma-informed protection and support to ensure

they are not inappropriately prosecuted, penalized, or

otherwise punished solely for unlawful acts committed as a

direct result of being trafficked, consistent with section

102(b)(19) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

(22 U.S.C. 7101(b)(19)).

SEC. 1274. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

It shall be the policy of the United States—

(1) to comprehensively combat the significant transnational

criminal organizations operating scam compounds and

exploiting workers, including through human trafficking and

forced criminality, to perpetrate large-scale online scams

against the people of the United States; and

(2) to bolster international law enforcement cooperation

with nations in Southeast Asia and in other regions where

scam compounds and associated financial and operational

infrastructures are located to combat transnational crime,

including scam compounds, human trafficking, narcotics

trafficking, and money laundering.

SEC. 1275. DEFINITIONS.

(a) In General.—In this subtitle:

(1) Appropriate congressional committees.—The term

“appropriate congressional committees” means—

(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;

(B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

the Senate;

(D) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate;

(E) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of

Representatives;

(F) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of

Representatives;

(G) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of

Representatives; and

(H) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the

House of Representatives.

(2) Cyber-enabled fraud.—The term “cyber-enabled fraud”

means the use of the internet or other technology to commit

fraudulent activity, including illicitly obtaining money,

property, data, identification documents, or authentication

features, or creating counterfeit goods or services.

(3) Enabling country.—The term “enabling country” means

a country where—

(A) government authorities actively or implicitly permit,

enable, or perpetuate scam compound operations; or

(B) ineffective law enforcement or a failure to enact

legislation intended to prevent facilitating services from

reaching scam compounds or significant transnational criminal

organizations enables scam compound operators to obtain

facilitating services.

(4) Forced criminality.—The term “forced criminality”

means a form of forced labor for the purpose of causing the

victim to engage in criminal activity, which may include

cyber-enabled fraud.

(5) Forced labor.—The term “forced labor” has the

meaning given the term severe forms of trafficking in persons

in section 103(11)(B) of the Trafficking Victims Protection

Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102(11)(B)).

(6) Relevant foreign assistance programs and diplomatic

efforts.—The term “relevant foreign assistance programs and

diplomatic efforts”—

(A) means unclassified voluntary support programs funded

directly by the United States Government that provide

assistance to one or more foreign countries for the purpose

of combating scam compound operations and related significant

transnational criminal organizations; and

(B) excludes intelligence activities, including activities

authorized by the President and reported to Congress in

accordance with section 503 of the National Security Act of

1947 (50 U.S.C. 3093).

(7) Human trafficking.—The term “human trafficking” has

the meaning given the term severe forms of trafficking in

persons in section 103(11) of the Trafficking Victims

Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102(11)).

(8) Human trafficking victim.—The terms “human

trafficking victim” and “victim of human trafficking” mean

a person subject to an act or practice described in section

103(11) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22

U.S.C. 7102(11)).

(9) Impacted country.—The term “impacted country” means

a country that is a significant—

(A) transit location for victims of human trafficking to

scam compounds;

(B) source location for victims of human trafficking for

scam compounds; or

compounds internationally.

(10) Scam compound.—The term “scam compound” means a

physical installation where a significant transnational

criminal organization carries out cyber-enabled fraud

operations, often using victims of human trafficking and

forced criminality.

(11) Significant transnational criminal organization.—The

term “significant transnational criminal organization”

means a group of persons that—

(A) includes one or more foreign person;

(B) engages in or facilitates an ongoing pattern of serious

criminal activity involving the jurisdictions of at least two

foreign states or one foreign state and the United States;

and

economy of the United States.

(12) Strategy.—The term “Strategy” means the strategy to

counter scam compounds and hold significant transnational

criminal organizations and human traffickers accountable

described in section 1276.

(b) Rule of Construction.—The definitions under this

section are exclusive to this subtitle and may not be

construed to affect any other provision of United States law.

SEC. 1276. STRATEGY TO COUNTER SCAM COMPOUNDS AND HOLD

SIGNIFICANT TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL

ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS

ACCOUNTABLE.

(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of

enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in

consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of the

Treasury, and the heads of other Federal departments and

agencies as appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate

congressional committees a comprehensive strategy, with a

classified annex if necessary, that—

(1) is designed—

(A) to shut down scam compounds and prevent their further

proliferation;

(B) to disrupt and dismantle—

(i) significant transnational criminal organizations and

human traffickers involved in operating scam compounds; and

(ii) the financial, operational, and technological

infrastructure that enables such criminal enterprises to

execute their scams and crimes; and

actors enabling scam compounds;

(2) is global in scope; and

(3) may prioritize efforts focused on Southeast Asian

countries where scam compound operations are most prevalent.

(b) Objectives.—The Strategy shall provide for and

incorporate the following objectives:

(1) Reducing the ability of significant transnational

criminal organizations to operate scam compounds in Southeast

Asia and wherever else they may propagate.

(2) Building the capacity, including that of digital

forensics, anti-money laundering, anti-corruption, and border

patrol, of trusted foreign law enforcement partners to

degrade, disrupt, and shut down scam compounds and prevent

their proliferation.

(3) Supporting survivors of human trafficking and forced

criminality under the direction of the Ambassador-at-Large to

Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

(4) Preventing recruitment fraud and human trafficking in

scam compounds, including by—

(A) engaging private sector entities operating internet

platforms or other services that could be abused or exploited

to perpetrate recruitment fraud, human trafficking or cyber-

enabled fraud;

(B) raising awareness among at-risk populations to identify

common recruitment fraud strategies and improve due diligence

and self-protection measures;

fraudulent and unlawful recruitment practices; and

(D) sharing information and building capacity among foreign

counterparts, including law enforcement and border officials,

to identify potential human trafficking victims.

(5) Advocating for the thorough review of countries

implicated in scam compound operations at the Financial

Action Task Force (FATF) or FATF-style regional bodies.

(6) Examining existing authorities and procedures of the

United States Government for assisting defrauded United

States persons in recovering and returning their stolen

assets.

(7) Using sanctions, visa restrictions, and other

accountability measures, in coordination with allies and

partners to the greatest extent possible, against enabling

countries, significant transnational criminal organizations,

human traffickers, and related third-party facilitators of

scam compound operations.

(8) Investigating and highlighting the People's Republic of

China's involvement in the origin and perpetuation of scam

compounds, including through links between Chinese Communist

Party officials and criminal organizations, deepening

regional security influence, and selective crackdowns that

incentivize the targeting of Americans.

(9) Investigating the Burmese military's involvement in

allowing, neglecting, and profiting from scam compounds in

Burma, and the importance of resolving the instability and

violence in Burma to stop the unfettered operation of scam

compounds in Burma.

(10) Harnessing offensive cyber capabilities to degrade

scam compound operations.

(11) Integrating data collection, analysis, and response

mechanisms across Federal, State, and local agencies,

including by assessing if any existing relevant Fusion

Centers could be leveraged to combat the operations of scam

compounds.

(12) Convening like-minded foreign allies and partners to

combat scam compounds, including by establishing similar task

forces or working groups, compiling and sharing data, and

collaborating regarding the indictment of key actors and

enablers.

(1) include a comprehensive problem statement identifying

the structural vulnerabilities exploited by significant

transnational criminal organizations operating scam

compounds;

(2) develop a comprehensive list of enabling countries and

impacted countries;

(3) identify all active executive branch relevant foreign

assistance programs and diplomatic efforts underway to

address scam compounds, significant transnational criminal

organizations connected to scam compounds, and related money

laundering, human trafficking and forced criminality,

including efforts with enabling countries and impacted

countries;

(4) identify relevant foreign assistance resources needed

to fully implement the Strategy and any obstacles to the

response of the Federal Government to scam compounds,

including coordination with partner governments, to address

the human trafficking, including forced criminality, and

money laundering that facilitates and sustains scam compound

operations; and

(5) include indicators that measure the success of the

Strategy, including achieving the objectives described in

subsection (b), which may include the number of persons

sanctioned, the number of arrest warrants or indictments

issued, the number of arrests made, the amount of United

States losses mitigated, the number of victims of trafficking

in persons identified and protected, and the reduction in the

number of active scam compounds, in comparison to the

previous year.

(d) Limitation.—Nothing in the Strategy may affect, apply

to, or create obligations related to past, present, or future

criminal or civil law enforcement or intelligence activities

of the United States or the law enforcement activities of any

State or subdivision of a State.

SEC. 1277. ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO IMPLEMENT THE

STRATEGY.

(a) In General.—Not later than 90 days after submitting

the Strategy pursuant to section 1276(a), the Secretary of

State, in consultation with the Attorney General, the

Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other Federal

departments and agencies, shall establish or designate an

interagency task force (referred to in this section as the

“Task Force”)—

(1) to coordinate the implementation of the Strategy;

(2) to conduct regular monitoring and analysis of scam

compound operations internationally; and

(3) to track and evaluate progress toward the objectives,

activities, and performance indicators of the Strategy.

(b) Information Sharing.—To ensure proper coordination and

effective interagency action, each Federal department or

agency represented on the Task Force shall fully share—

(1) all relevant data with the Task Force; and

(2) all information regarding the department's or agency's

plans, before and after final agency decisions are made, on

all matters relating to actions regarding combating scam

compounds.

the Task Force, should—

(1) consult with State and local law enforcement entities

and stakeholder organizations in the United States that have

firsthand expertise in reporting and combating cyber-enabled

fraud and recovering stolen assets;

(2) consult regularly with nongovernmental organizations in

the United States with expertise in countering trafficking in

persons or anti-corruption, as appropriate;

(3) develop partnerships with relevant private sector

actors for the purpose of better disrupting the enabling

infrastructure of scam compounds, operations, and syndicates;

and

(4) engage civil society organizations to better understand

the complexity of the scam compound problem in each country

and the broader economic, political, and governance

challenges that are exacerbating the problem.

(d) Congressional Consultation.—The Task Force shall

consult regularly with the appropriate congressional

committees on its efforts to implement the Strategy,

including potential updates to the strategy.

(e) Annual Reviews and Reports.—Not later than 1 year

after the establishment of the Task Force, and not less

frequently than annually thereafter, the Task Force shall—

(1) conduct a status review of the Strategy and the overall

state of scam compounds operated by significant transnational

criminal organizations that includes—

(A) a list of enabling countries and impacted countries;

(B) an estimate of the amount of money that has been stolen

from United States nationals through scams emanating from

scam compounds;

in subparagraph (B) that was intercepted, seized, or returned

as a result of United States Government action;

(D) an analysis of the role that human trafficking plays in

scam compounds around the world;

(E) a list of known scam compounds operating across

Southeast Asia; and

(F) a description of if, where, and how scam compounds and

operations have proliferated outside of Southeast Asia across

other regions of the world; and

(2) submit the results of such review in a public report to

the appropriate congressional committees, which may contain a

classified annex.

(f) Task Force Termination.—The Task Force shall terminate

on the date that is 6 years after the date on which the Task

Force is established.

SEC. 1278. STRENGTHENING TOOLS TO DISMANTLE SCAM COMPOUNDS

AND HOLD SIGNIFICANT TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL

ORGANIZATIONS ACCOUNTABLE.

(a) Imposition of Sanctions With Respect to Significant

Actors in Scam Compound Operations.—Beginning on the date

that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,

the President may impose the sanctions described in

subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person the

President determines—

(1) has materially assisted in, or provided significant

financial or technological support to, or provided

significant goods or services in support of, the activities

of international scam compounds or enabling services,

including recruitment fraud, human trafficking (including

forced criminality), cyber-enabled fraud, or money-

laundering; or

(2) owned, controlled, directed, or acted for, or on behalf

of, a significant scam compound operation or enabling

service, including recruitment fraud, human trafficking

(including forced criminality), cyber-enabled fraud, or

money-laundering.

(b) Sanctions Described.—

(1) Asset blocking.—The President may exercise all powers

granted to the President under the International Emergency

Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent

necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in all

property and interests in property of a foreign person

described in subsection (a), including, to the extent

appropriate, the vessel of which the person is the beneficial

owner, if such property or interests in property are in the

United States, come within the United States, or are or come

within the possession or control of a United States person.

(2) Visas, admission, or parole.—

(A) In general.—An alien described in subsection (a) is—

(i) inadmissible to the United States;

(ii) ineligible for 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 visas revoked.—

(i) In general.—An alien described in subsection (a) is

subject to revocation of any visa or other entry

documentation regardless of when the visa or other entry

documentation was issued.

(ii) Immediate effect.—A revocation under clause (i) shall

take effect immediately and automatically cancel any other

valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien's

possession.

(1) Exception to comply with international obligations.—

Sanctions described in subsection (b)(2) shall not apply with

respect to the admission of an alien if admitting or paroling

such alien 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.

(2) Exceptions for human trafficking victims.—Sanctions

described in subsection (b) shall not apply with respect to a

person determined by the President to be a victim of

trafficking in persons within a scam compound, consistent

with section 102(b)(19) of the Trafficking Victims Protection

Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101(b)(19)).

(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 section.

(2) Penalties.—The penalties set forth in subsections (b)

and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency

Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to any

person who violates, attempts to violate, conspires to

violate, or causes a violation of any prohibition of this

section, or an order or regulation prescribed under this

section, to the same extent that such penalties apply to a

person that commits an unlawful act described in section

206(a) of such Act (50 U.S.C. 1705(a)).

(e) Intelligence and Law Enforcement Activities.—Sanctions

authorized 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) Semiannual Report.—Not later than 180 days after the

date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days

thereafter for 7 years, the President shall submit a report

to the appropriate congressional committees that identifies—

(1) all foreign persons the President has sanctioned

pursuant to this section; and

(2) the dates on which such sanctions were imposed.

(g) Form.—The report required under subsection (f) shall

be submitted in an unclassified form, but may include a

classified annex.

(h) Exception Relating to Importation of Goods.—

(1) In general.—A requirement to block and prohibit all

transactions in all property and interests in property

pursuant to subsection (b) shall not include the authority or

a requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of

goods.

(2) Defined term.—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) Waiver.—

(1) In general.—The President may waive the application of

sanctions under this section with respect to a foreign person

or a foreign financial institution if the President

determines that such waiver is in the national interest of

the United States.

(2) Report.—Not later than 15 days before granting a

waiver pursuant to paragraph (1), the President shall submit

a report to the appropriate congressional committees that

includes—

(A) the name of the individual or institution that is

benefitting from such waiver; and

(B) if the beneficiary is an individual, a detailed

justification explaining how the waiver serves the national

security interests of the United States.

(3) Form.—The report required under paragraph (2) shall be

submitted in an unclassified form, but may include a

classified annex.

SEC. 1279. REDRESS TO VICTIMS OF INTERNATIONAL SCAM COMPOUND

OPERATIONS.

(a) Report.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the

enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in consultation

with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury,

and the heads of other appropriate Federal departments and

agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional

committees a report containing an assessment of existing

forfeiture law that—

(1) outlines challenges or limitations to providing

financial redress to victims of international scam compound

operations;

(2) offers recommendations to amend existing forfeiture law

to enable the Department of Justice to use assets forfeited

as a result of law enforcement activities targeting

international scam compound operations to provide financial

redress to United States citizen victims of scam operations;

and

(3) offers recommendations for the administration of such a

redress mechanism.

(b) Form.—The report required under subsection (a) shall

be submitted in an unclassified form.

SEC. 1280. SATELLITE IMAGERY ACCESS TO MONITOR HUMAN RIGHTS

ABUSES RELATED TO SCAM COMPOUNDS TO DISCOVER

THE PRESENCE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

(a) Access to Satellite Imagery.—The Secretary of State is

authorized to provide nongovernmental organizations,

nonprofit organizations, and intergovernmental entities

access to current and archival high-resolution satellite

imagery to help advance efforts to combat scam compounds,

forced criminality, and human trafficking, including

monitoring and documenting observable activities at scam

compounds in Southeast Asia, which may be associated with

human trafficking, such as forced labor or forced

criminality.

(b) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the

enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a

report to the appropriate congressional committees that

includes—

(1) any terms and conditions applicable with respect to the

access authorized under subsection (a); and

(2) a list of each organization or entity that has been

provided access pursuant to subsection (a).

be submitted in an unclassified form, but may include a

classified annex.

SEC. 1280A. SUNSET.

This subtitle shall cease to be effective beginning on the

date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of this

Act.

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