Summary

Amends 18 U.S.C. § 793 to explicitly add the word "video" to the types of materials covered by the statute governing the handling and communication of defense-related information. In practice, the change makes taking, possessing, or transmitting video that reveals defense information subject to the existing criminal prohibitions in that law. The amendment does not change penalties or create new funding; it clarifies that video is covered alongside other forms of information, which could broaden what conduct prosecutors treat as unlawful and may affect drone operators, photographers, journalists, and people who record military facilities or equipment.

• Adds the word "video" into 18 U.S.C. § 793 so that video is explicitly covered by the statute's protections of defense information.
• Makes taking, possessing, or transmitting video revealing defense-related information subject to the statute's existing criminal prohibitions and penalties.
• Does not change penalty amounts or create new funding or enforcement bodies; uses existing DOJ and federal law-enforcement authorities.
• Likely affects drone operators, photographers, and others who record military or defense-related sites or activities.
• Raises potential First Amendment and press-freedom issues; may prompt legal challenges over scope and overbreadth.
• Clarifies statutory language for prosecutors, potentially expanding prosecutions that rely on the statute to cover video evidence.
• Does not alter classification procedures or define new categories of classified information; it changes statutory coverage, not classification rules.
• No explicit effective date provided in the supplied text; timing would follow normal enactment practice if enacted.