{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-colleagues-applaud-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-to-counter-foreign-cyber-scams", "Kaine, Colleagues Applaud Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Counter Foreign Cyber Scams", "2025-12-09", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", "kaine", "https://www.kaine.senate.gov/news", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) applauds the Senate passage of the Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization (SCAM) Act, bipartisan legislation he cosponsored to counter foreign cyber scams and hold transnational criminal organizations accountable for human trafficking, forced criminality, and cyber-enabled fraud schemes targeting Americans.\n\n\u201cTransnational criminal organizations across the world are stealing billions from Americans by forcing human trafficking victims to commit cybercrimes,\u201d said Kaine. \u201cI\u2019m proud the Senate passed a bipartisan bill I cosponsored to help ensure criminal organizations are held accountable and prevent scammers from preying on innocent Americans.\u201d\n\nTransnational criminal organizations (TCOs) across the globe\u2014many of which are based in Southeast Asia and affiliated with the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC)\u2014are increasingly conducting large-scale cyber scam operations against Americans. By deceptively luring victims under false pretenses to a secure facility, also known as a scam compound, TCOs are then forcing these trafficked captives to commit cybercrimes under duress and defrauding Americans out of billions of dollars annually.\n\nIn 2024, the FBI reported nearly $14 billion in losses in the United States due to cyber-enabled fraud. While the PRC has cracked down on scam compounds that target Chinese citizens, it is turning a blind eye to those that defraud Americans.\n\nThe SCAM Act would address this issue by:\n\nRequiring the U.S. Secretary of State, in consultation with the U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, and other relevant departments and agencies, to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to counter scam compounds by preventing recruitment fraud, enhancing the capabilities of partner governments and law enforcement agencies to stop scam compounds and associated money laundering, supporting survivors of human trafficking, and holding accountable countries that enable or permit scam compound operations;\n\nEstablishing a task force to implement the strategy over a six-year period, evaluate its progress, and submit an annual report to Congress detailing its effectiveness;\n\nAllowing the President to use International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) sanctions against foreign persons who support or enable international scam compound operations; and\n\nRequesting a report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on recommendations for a potential mechanism to provide financial redress to U.S. citizens who are victims of scam operations.\n\nThe legislation is led by U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). In addition to Kaine, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), James Lankford (R-OK), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).\n\nThe legislation has been endorsed by AARP.\n\nFull text of the SCAM Act can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-colleagues-applaud-senate-passage-of-bipartisan-bill-to-counter-foreign-cyber-scams"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1176449954509735, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}