Sponsors (9)
The bill strengthens tools to deter and prosecute state-linked theft and harmful disclosures—potentially improving national security and protecting infrastructure—but does so by imposing much harsher penalties, broader criminal exposure, and large corporate fines that raise civil-liberties, justice, and economic concerns.
Companies that operate critical infrastructure, federal prosecutors, and the public gain clearer statutory tools and stronger legal deterrents against state-sponsored theft or unlawful disclosure of trade secrets and defense information, which should make prosecutions easier and reduce espionage risk.
Fewer successful espionage or harmful disclosures could reduce disruptions to critical services and protect jobs and economic activity in affected industries.
Federal prosecutors and DOJ benefit from clearer charging language and statutory definitions that can close legal gaps and improve the likelihood of conviction in complex national-security cases.
Individuals convicted under the enhanced provisions face very long mandatory minimum prison terms (at least 10 years) and loss of supervised release eligibility, sharply increasing criminal exposure for defendants.
Organizations found liable could face extremely large fines (the greater of $20 million or five times the value), creating substantial financial burdens that could threaten company viability, jobs, and services.
Federal employees and government contractors could face broader criminal liability and ambiguous or overbroad language may chill lawful whistleblowing, internal reporting, academic research, or other protected speech involving defense-related information.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Increases criminal penalties for economic espionage benefiting a covered nation, creates large organizational fines tied to trade-secret value, and adds an unspecified Espionage Act amendment.
Introduced June 23, 2025 by Pat Harrigan · Last progress June 23, 2025
Adds new, tougher criminal penalties for economic espionage when done to advance the interests of a “covered nation,” raises fines and prison terms for individuals and organizations, and inserts an unspecified change to the Espionage Act provision on gathering or transmitting defense information. It defines a higher-tier offense when stolen information could, if used, cause severe harm to critical infrastructure and ties organizational fines to either a set dollar amount or a multiple of the trade secret’s value. The bill targets theft or disclosure of trade secrets and defense-related information with a nexus to designated foreign adversaries and creates larger financial and imprisonment penalties; one provision that would amend the Espionage Act is described but the exact text is not provided, leaving the scope of that change unclear.