Sponsor
August Pfluger
Representative · R-TX
Representative · R-TX
The bill strengthens U.S. cyber attribution and deterrence tools and enables targeted economic countermeasures, at the cost of risks to diplomacy, potential politicized or erroneous sanctions, and economic disruption to trade, exports, and investors.
U.S. taxpayers, federal/state governments, and private-sector partners gain faster, clearer public attribution and deterrence tools against state‑sponsored cyber actors — including coordinated allied action, visa restrictions, and clearer evidentiary standards that incorporate private‑sector intelligence to improve credibility and reduce false positives.
Financial institutions, small businesses, and U.S. markets can be protected by targeted economic measures (export controls, investment and financial restrictions) that limit harmful foreign cyber activity and defend critical infrastructure and supply chains.
State and local governments, taxpayers, and diplomatic relations face risk if attribution is politicized or erroneous — wrongful or premature designations and sanctions could harm foreign relations, multilateral cooperation, and U.S. credibility.
Small businesses, U.S. manufacturers, investors, financial institutions, and consumers could face higher costs, disrupted supply chains, reduced exports, and market volatility from designation-driven trade restrictions, export prohibitions on dual‑use goods, and sudden securities limitations.
Taxpayers and humanitarian recipients could see reduced U.S. leverage and poorer humanitarian outcomes if sanctions, aid, or arms suspensions tied to designations limit assistance programs and require extensive congressional oversight and administrative resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the President and National Cyber Director to designate foreign state and supporting actors as "critical cyber threat actors" and create a National Attribution Framework within 180 days.
Official title: To impose sanctions with respect to designated critical cyber threat actors, and for other purposes.
Introduced November 25, 2025 by August Pfluger · Last progress November 25, 2025
Creates a requirement for the President, through the National Cyber Director and federal partners, to identify and designate foreign persons and foreign state entities as “critical cyber threat actors” when they carry out or materially support state‑sponsored cyber operations that pose significant threats to U.S. national security, economic stability, elections, or critical infrastructure. It also directs the National Cyber Director to produce a uniform National Attribution Framework within 180 days to guide those designations and sets criteria for direct actors and materially supporting actors.