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Defend COVID Research from Hackers Act

Introduced: July 21, 2020 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jul 21, 2020

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Jul 21, 2020

Introduced in House

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Defend COVID Research from Hackers Act

This bill authorizes the President to impose visa-blocking, property-blocking, or economic sanctions on a foreign person that is involved in activities that are reasonably likely to result in a significant threat to U.S. national security, foreign policy, public health, economic health, or financial stability.

The Department of State must submit a report detailing the extent of known or attempted cyber-enabled activities by foreign persons related to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) and assessing whether those activities qualify for the imposition of sanctions.

Further, the bill provides penalties for a person who knowingly traffics in access to a protected computer if the trafficker knows the protected computer has been damaged in a prohibited manner. The bill also authorizes an injunction against a person who causes damage through accessing a protected computer or transmitting a program, information, code, or command to a protected computer.

What's happening now July 21, 2020

Committees of jurisdiction 2