Sponsors (14)
The bill trades a stronger, longer window for prosecuting foreign bribery—which can improve enforcement and deter corporate corruption—against increased legal exposure and costs for businesses and individuals, plus retroactive fairness and taxpayer cost concerns.
Federal prosecutors gain up to 10 years (instead of a shorter period) to bring FCPA and related securities antibribery charges, improving their ability to build complex cross-border cases and secure prosecutions.
Markets, investors, and taxpayers may face lower corporate corruption risk because the extended limitation period can strengthen enforcement deterrence against foreign bribery.
Small business owners and financial institutions get temporary predictability because the extension includes a fixed 8-year sunset that limits how long the changed rule will apply.
Individuals and companies face longer exposure to criminal prosecution for past conduct, increasing legal uncertainty and likely raising defense and compliance costs.
People with past offenses may face unequal treatment because a retroactive carve-out for the five years before enactment could allow prosecution of some older misconduct while shielding other conduct, creating fairness and planning concerns.
Taxpayers may incur higher costs because longer limitations increase the potential for extended investigations and prosecutions that use additional public resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Sets a 10-year criminal statute of limitations for specified antibribery offenses, excludes offenses committed in the five years before enactment, effective on enactment and expiring eight years later.
Introduced March 9, 2026 by Elizabeth Warren · Last progress March 9, 2026
Creates a temporary, extended criminal statute of limitations for certain U.S. antibribery laws by establishing a 10-year time limit to bring prosecutions under the specified Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Securities Exchange Act antibribery provisions. The change takes effect on enactment, excludes offenses committed during the five years immediately before enactment from the new 10-year rule, and automatically expires eight years after enactment.