Text of Senate Amendment 6371

On 2026-06-24, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6371" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6371

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3483-S3486] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6371. Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of title XII, add the following: Subtitle F--Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization SEC. 1271. SHORT TITLE. This subtitle may be cited as the ``Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization Act''. SEC. 1272. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Transnational cyber-enabled fraud, particularly such fraud that is perpetrated from scam compounds in Southeast Asia, is a growing threat to citizens of the United States, national security, and global economic interests. (2) The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported $17,697,074,980 in losses in the United States due to cyber- enabled fraud during [[Page S3484]] 2025, including schemes commonly perpetrated by significant transnational criminal organizations that are operating scam compounds. (3) Annual global losses due to cyber-enabled fraud are estimated at between $40,000,000,000 and $65,000,000,000, but the actual amount is likely higher since many instances are not reported. (4) Significant transnational criminal organizations responsible for a large proportion of these scam compounds-- (A) are affiliated with the People's Republic of China; (B) are actively spreading propaganda on behalf of the People's Republic of China; (C) are promoting unification with Taiwan; and (D) have brokered projects for the Belt and Road Initiative. (5) Significant transnational criminal organizations have lured hundreds of thousands of human trafficking victims from an estimated 80 countries to scam compounds, which are located primarily in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos, for purposes of forced criminality. (6) Significant transnational criminal organizations are expanding scam compounds internationally, including in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. (7) Money laundering, human trafficking, and recruitment fraud related to such scam compounds have occurred in Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. SEC. 1273. SENSE OF CONGRESS. It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the United States should redouble efforts to hold the perpetrators and enablers of scam compound operations accountable, including those involved in related money laundering, human trafficking, and recruitment fraud, by employing effective tools, such as targeted financial sanctions, visa restrictions, asset seizures, and forfeiture; (2) to enhance effective international cooperation and responses against cyber-enabled fraud originating from scam compounds internationally, the United States Government should work with partner governments, multilateral institutions, civil society experts, and private sector stakeholders to improve information sharing, strengthen preventative measures, raise public awareness, and increase coordination on law enforcement investigations and regulatory actions; and (3) victims and survivors of human trafficking, including for the purpose of forced criminality, require victim- centered and trauma-informed protection and support to ensure they are not inappropriately prosecuted, penalized, or otherwise punished solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked, consistent with section 102(b)(19) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101(b)(19)). SEC. 1274. STATEMENT OF POLICY. It shall be the policy of the United States-- (1) to comprehensively combat the significant transnational criminal organizations operating scam compounds and exploiting workers, including through human trafficking and forced criminality, to perpetrate large-scale online scams against the people of the United States; and (2) to bolster international law enforcement cooperation with nations in Southeast Asia and in other regions where scam compounds and associated financial and operational infrastructures are located to combat transnational crime, including scam compounds, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and money laundering. SEC. 1275. DEFINITIONS. (a) In General.--In this subtitle: (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate; (D) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; (E) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; (F) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; (G) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and (H) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives. (2) Cyber-enabled fraud.--The term ``cyber-enabled fraud'' means the use of the internet or other technology to commit fraudulent activity, including illicitly obtaining money, property, data, identification documents, or authentication features, or creating counterfeit goods or services. (3) Enabling country.--The term ``enabling country'' means a country where-- (A) government authorities actively or implicitly permit, enable, or perpetuate scam compound operations; or (B) ineffective law enforcement or a failure to enact legislation intended to prevent facilitating services from reaching scam compounds or significant transnational criminal organizations enables scam compound operators to obtain facilitating services. (4) Forced criminality.--The term ``forced criminality'' means a form of forced labor for the purpose of causing the victim to engage in criminal activity, which may include cyber-enabled fraud. (5) Forced labor.--The term ``forced labor'' has the meaning given the term severe forms of trafficking in persons in section 103(11)(B) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102(11)(B)). (6) Relevant foreign assistance programs and diplomatic efforts.--The term ``relevant foreign assistance programs and diplomatic efforts''-- (A) means unclassified voluntary support programs funded directly by the United States Government that provide assistance to one or more foreign countries for the purpose of combating scam compound operations and related significant transnational criminal organizations; and (B) excludes intelligence activities, including activities authorized by the President and reported to Congress in accordance with section 503 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3093). (7) Human trafficking.--The term ``human trafficking'' has the meaning given the term severe forms of trafficking in persons in section 103(11) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102(11)). (8) Human trafficking victim.--The terms ``human trafficking victim'' and ``victim of human trafficking'' mean a person subject to an act or practice described in section 103(11) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102(11)). (9) Impacted country.--The term ``impacted country'' means a country that is a significant-- (A) transit location for victims of human trafficking to scam compounds; (B) source location for victims of human trafficking for scam compounds; or (C) target of cyber-enabled fraud originating from scam compounds internationally. (10) Scam compound.--The term ``scam compound'' means a physical installation where a significant transnational criminal organization carries out cyber-enabled fraud operations, often using victims of human trafficking and forced criminality. (11) Significant transnational criminal organization.--The term ``significant transnational criminal organization'' means a group of persons that-- (A) includes one or more foreign person; (B) engages in or facilitates an ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity involving the jurisdictions of at least two foreign states or one foreign state and the United States; and (C) threatens the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. (12) Strategy.--The term ``Strategy'' means the strategy to counter scam compounds and hold significant transnational criminal organizations and human traffickers accountable described in section 1276. (b) Rule of Construction.--The definitions under this section are exclusive to this subtitle and may not be construed to affect any other provision of United States law. SEC. 1276. STRATEGY TO COUNTER SCAM COMPOUNDS AND HOLD SIGNIFICANT TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKERS ACCOUNTABLE. (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive strategy, with a classified annex if necessary, that-- (1) is designed-- (A) to shut down scam compounds and prevent their further proliferation; (B) to disrupt and dismantle-- (i) significant transnational criminal organizations and human traffickers involved in operating scam compounds; and (ii) the financial, operational, and technological infrastructure that enables such criminal enterprises to execute their scams and crimes; and (C) to hold accountable corrupt officials and non-state actors enabling scam compounds; (2) is global in scope; and (3) may prioritize efforts focused on Southeast A