Combating Critical Infrastructure Vandalism Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5617 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5617

   To amend section 1362 of title 18, United States Code, to address 
    vandalism of copper, fiber, and coaxial cables used to provide 
              telecommunications and information services.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 30, 2026

  Mr. Schmitt (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following 
    bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend section 1362 of title 18, United States Code, to address 
    vandalism of copper, fiber, and coaxial cables used to provide 
              telecommunications and information services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Critical Infrastructure 
Vandalism Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNICATION LINES, STATIONS, OR SYSTEMS.

    Section 1362 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Whoever willfully or maliciously injures 
        or destroys'' and inserting the following:
    ``(a) In General.--It shall be unlawful to--
            ``(1) willfully or maliciously injure or destroy'';
            (2) in subsection (a), as so designated--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``interferes'' and 
                        inserting ``interfere'';
                            (ii) by striking ``obstructs, hinders, or 
                        delays'' and inserting ``obstruct, hinder, or 
                        delay'';
                            (iii) by striking ``attempts or conspires'' 
                        and inserting ``attempt or conspire''; and
                            (iv) by striking ``, shall be fined under 
                        this title or imprisoned not more than ten 
                        years, or both.'' and inserting the following: 
                        ``; or
            ``(2) willfully or maliciously injure, destroy, or steal, 
        or attempt or conspire to injure, destroy, or steal, any 
        copper, fiber, or coaxial cable used to provide 
        telecommunications services (as defined in section 3 of the 
        Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153)) or information 
        services (as defined in that section) that is used in or 
        affects interstate or foreign commerce, whether constructed or 
        in the process of construction.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), as so designated, by striking 
                ``In the case of any works'' and inserting the 
                following:
    ``(b) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Certain lawful concerted activities.--In the case of 
        any works'';
            (3) in subsection (b), as so designated, by adding at the 
        end the following:
            ``(2) Customer premises equipment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subsection (a)(2) shall not 
                apply to customer premises equipment.
                    ``(B) Customer premises equipment defined.--In this 
                section, the term `customer premises equipment' means 
                equipment physically located on a customer's property 
                that is owned, rented, or leased by the customer.''; 
                and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Penalty.--Any person in violation of subsection (a) shall be 
fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.''.
                                 <all>