,i  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #eijj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #ca1 #bjbe,mr4
 ,v9dman 7= himself & ,mr4 ,baird7      
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se
 to e/abli% a jo9t task =ce to          
inve/igate transnational cyb]crimes1 & =
 o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title  ,?is   
,act may be cit$ z ! ,/opp+ ,cross-bord]
 ,attacks & ,manipulation ,act or !     
,,scam ,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds 
! foll[+3 7#a7 ,accord+ to e/imates f ! 
,unit$ ,/ates ,in/itute ( ,peace1       
,*9a-l9k$ transnational organiz$ crime  
7,,toc7 gr\ps op]at+ fraud f>ms 9 ,s\!a/
 ,asia are /eal+ ne>ly #dc1hjj1jjj1jjj  
annually ?r\gh digital scams4  7#b7 ,^! 
scams increas+ly affect ,am]icans1      
disproportionately t>get+ populations   
su* z ! eld]ly & socially isolat$4  7#c7
 ,accord+ to ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission
 7,,ftc71 9 #bjbd alone--  7,a7 #bdf1ghc
 scam text messages 7 report$1 result+ 9

 #dfi1jjj1jjj 9 losses to ,am]icans2    
7,b7 #cga1ffd scam emails 7 report$1    
lead+ to #ejb1jjj1jjj 9 losses to       
,am]icans2 &  7,c7 #bhd1fea scam phone  
calls 7 report$1 caus+ #idh1jjj1jjj 9   
losses to ,am]icans4  7#d7              
,transnational organiz$ crime 7,,toc7   
gr\ps ma9ta9 docum5t$ ties to ! ,*9ese  
,communi/ ,p>ty 7,,ccp74 ,*9ese (ficials
 & /ate-own$ ent]prises 7,s,o,es7 h     
provid$ direct support = ! con/ruction &
 op]ation ( ,,toc-l9k$ facilities1 rais+
 s]i\s conc]ns ab\t a coord9at$ campaign
 ( =eign int]f]5ce & sabotage4  7#e7 ,! 
,,ccp's involvem5t 9 ,,toc networks     
pres5ts an urg5t national security      
?reat4 ,^! networks funnel f9ancial     
assets & s5sitive p]sonal in=mation (   
,u4,s4 citiz5s to a ho/ile =eign p[]1   
und]m9+ bo? ,am]ican economic security &
 individual privacy4  7#f7 ,^! crim9al  
networks h deeply emb$d$ !mselves into  
,s\!a/ ,asian economies1 ex]t+          
de/abiliz+ influ5ce across ! region4    
7#g7 ,proce$s f ^! scams are us$ to fund

 w>lords & fuel ongo+ civil conflicts1  
comp\nd+ regional in/ability4  7#h7     
,,toc networks h traffick$ an e/imat$   
#cjj1jjj individuals into cyb] scam     
op]ations across ,s\!a/ ,asia4 ,victims1
 includ+ ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s1 are =c$ 
to "w "u conditions t ! ,u4,s4-,*9a     
,economic & ,security ,review           
,commission comp>es to mod]n slav]y4 ,! 
,unit$ ,nations has w>n$ t human        
traffick+ ti$ to ^! scam c5t]s has rea*$
 ! level ( a humanit>ian & human rights 
crisis4  7#i7 ,! ,u4,s4-,*9a ,economic &
 ,security ,review ,commission has      
ackn[l$g$ cr$ible reports l9k+ scam     
comp\nds 9 ! ,philipp9es to ,*9ese      
espionage activity4 ,^! facilities are  
be+ con/ruct$ ne> air bases /rategically
 important to ,u4,s4 op]ations1 includ+ 
,cl>k ,air ,base & ,basa ,air ,base1 :i*
 is "p ( ! ,enhanc$ ,def5se ,coop]ation 
,agreem5t4 ,! ,philipp9e intellig5ce    
community has provid$ compell+ evid5ce t
 ^! comp\nds h be5 us$ = surveillance & 
cyb] intrusions4  7#aj7 ,! ,*9ese       

gov]nm5t has us$ ! pres5ce ( ,*9ese     
,,toc networks 9 ,s\!a/ ,asia to        
pressure regional gov]nm5ts to all[ a   
great] role = ,*9ese security =ces4 ,?is
 ef=t ?reat5s national sov]eignty &     
regional /ability4  7#aa7 ,,toc networks
 endang] ,am]ican def5se priorities z   
well z democracy1 good gov]nance1 &     
/ability ar\nd ! _w by co-opt+ local    
elites1 und]m9+ law en=cem5t1 weak5+    
/ate au?ority1 & ?reat5+ ! ,unit$       
,/ates' /rategic int]e/ 9 build+ a free 
& op5 ,indo-,pacific4  7#ab7 ,an        
effective response by ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
,gov]nm5t w require a coord9at$1        
:ole-(-gov]nm5t ef=t t draws on !       
compet5cies ( ,f$]al ag5cies 9 in=mation
 collection1 f9ancial en=cem5t1         
diplomatic engagem5t1 def5se &          
intellig5ce prep>$ness1 & law en=cem5t4 
#c4 ,jo9t task =ce to inve/igate        
transnational cyb]crimes  7a7           
,e/abli%m5t  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y 
( ,def5se1 act+ ?r\gh ! head ( ,u4,s4   
,cyb] ,comm& & 9 coord9ation ) ! heads (

 o!r appropriate ag5cies1 %all e/abli% a
 jo9t task =ce to coord9ate ef=ts to    
inve/igate1 disrupt1 & protect citiz5s (
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates f transnational        
cyb]crimes & =eign-op]at$ scam networks1
 includ+ fraudul5t text & direct mess+  
c5t]s & o!r digital fraud s*emes t>get+ 
citiz5s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#b7        
,memb]%ip ,! task =ce %all1 at a m9imum1
 be compos$ (--  7,a7 an (ficial ( !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 includ+-- 7i7 !      
,assi/ant ,secret>y = ,em]g+ ,?reats2   
7ii7 ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y =            
,int]national ,n>cotics & ,law          
,en=cem5t2 &  7iii7 ! ,assi/ant         
,secret>y = ,democracy1 ,human ,rights1 
& ,labor2  7,b7 (ficials ( ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,def5se1 includ+ ,u4,s4 ,cyb] ,comm& & 
! ,national ,mission ,=ce2  7,c7 an     
(ficial ( ! ,(fice ( ! ,director (      
,national ,intellig5ce2  7,d7 an (ficial
 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission2  7,e7 an
 (ficial ( ! ,f$]al ,communications     
,commission2  7,f7 (ficials ( ! ,(fice (
 ,=eign ,assets ,control & ! ,f9ancial  

,crimes ,en=cem5t ,network ( ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ! ,treasury2  7,g7 (ficials ( !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,ju/ice1 includ+ (ficials   
f--  7i7 ! ,crim9al ,division1 includ+ !
 ,int]national ,unit ( ! ,money ,laund]+
 & ,asset ,recov]y ,section2  7ii7 !    
,(fice ( ,int]national ,affairs2  7iii7 
! ,national ,security ,division2 &  7iv7
 ! ,(fice ( ! ,cyb] ,ambassador2  7,h7  
an (ficial ( ! ,f$]al ,bureau (         
,inve/igation's ,int]net ,crime         
,compla9t ,c5t]2  7,i7 repres5tatives ( 
,/ate & local gov]nm5ts t-- 7i7 are     
lead+ ef=ts to c\nt] cyb]crimes2 or     
7ii7 are disproportionately affect$ by  
cyb]crimes2 &  7,j7 repres5tatives (    
relevant exp]t non-pr(it organizations4 
7#c7 ,lead]%ip ,! memb]s ( ! task =ce1 9
 consultation ) ! lead]%ip ( ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,def5se1 may assign responsibility to
 an appropriate (fice )9 ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,def5se to s]ve z ! lead = ! task =ce to
 coord9ate ! prep>ation & submission ( !
 report requir$ by subsection 7c7 & hold
 (fices & ag5cies responsible =         

implem5tation4  7b7 ,priority ,9 c>ry+  
out its duties "u subsection 7a7 & 9    
prep>+ ! report "u subsection 7c71 !    
task =ce %all prioritize "w relat$ to   
scam op]ations ) ties to ! ,*9ese       
,communi/ ,p>ty 9 ! ,indo-,pacific      
region4  7c7 ,report ,n lat] ?an "o ye> 
aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !    
task =ce e/abli%$ "u subsection 7a7 %all
 submit to ! ,committees on ,arm$       
,s]vices ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & (
 ! ,s5ate a report-- 7#a7 id5tify+ em]g+
 tr5ds relat$ to ! scam op]ations       
describ$ 9 subsection 7a7 t are ti$ to  
int]national crim9al organizations1     
includ+ ef=ts to--  7,a7 scam & /eal    
data f ,unit$ ,/ates p]sons2  7,b7      
cultivate relation%ips ) adv]s>ial      
gov]nm5ts & =eign intellig5ce s]vices2  
7,c7 acquire l& 9 proximity to ,unit$   
,/ates milit>y in/allations & ,unit$    
,/ates treaty allies' & p>tn]s' milit>y 
in/allations2  7,d7 lev]age1 collaborate
 )1 or place =eign nationals ( conc]n 9 
s5sitive positions )9 ,indo-,pacific    

regional gov]nm5ts2  7,e7 und]m9e ,unit$
 ,/ates diplomatic engagem5t1 peacekeep+
 op]ations1 & security coop]ation ef=ts 
?r\gh\t ! _w1 ) a priority on !         
,indo-,pacific region2  7,f7 acquire    
t]ritory or influ5ce ar\nd critical     
wat]ways2 &  7,g7 con/ruct              
milit>ily-capable infra/ructure su* z   
airports2  7#b7 recomm5d+ policy options
 = ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t1 ,congress1 &     
nongov]nm5tal indu/ry lead]s to prev5t &
 p5alize ! scam op]ations describ$ 9    
subsection 7a7 t are ti$ to int]national
 crim9al organizations1 :i* may include 
! use ( sanctions1 civil asset =feiture1
 & action 9 cyb]space 9 def5se ( !      
,unit$ ,/ates1 its p]sons1 assets1 &    
int]e/s aga9/ ! scam networks describ$ 9
 subsection 7a71 includ+--  7,a7        
protect+ ,am]icans' p]sonal data &      
f9ancial assets2  7,b7 safegu>d+ !      
sov]eignty ( ,unit$ ,/ates allies &     
p>tn]s2 &  7,c7 secur+ ,unit$ ,/ates    
milit>y in/allations & ,unit$ ,/ates    
treaty allies' & p>tn]s' milit>y        

in/allations locat$ ne> kn[n or suspect$
 scam comp\nds2  7#c7 propos+ a         
framework = a :ole-(-society approa* to 
support disproportionately affect$      
demographic gr\ps1 communications       
plat=ms1 ,/ates1 & localities impact$ by
 ! scam networks describ$ 9 subsection  
7a71 includ+ me?ods = timely            
dissem9ation ( scam-relat$ in=mation &  
protective guidance ?r\gh publicly      
accessible ,f$]al facilities 7includ+   
,unit$ ,/ates ,po/al ,s]vice locations1 
,social ,security ,adm9i/ration field   
(fices1 milit>y in/allations1 &         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs           
facilities7 & comp>able ,/ate & local   
v5ues2  7#d7 includ+ an assessm5t &     
updates ( ! ov]all scale ( scam c5t]s 9 
,s\!a/ ,asia & rec5t tr5dl9es2  7#e7    
in=mation ab\t h[ ! ,*9ese ,gov]nm5t is 
exploit+ ! problem ( scam c5t]s to exp& 
its security pres5ce & influ5ce 9 !     
region2 &  7#f7 in=mation ab\t gov]nm5t 
bodies1 individual gov]nm5t (ficials1   
militias1 & corporations 9 ,s\!a/ ,asia 

t h ties to transnational crim9al       
organizations or pr(it f scam c5t]s4    
7d7 ,implem5tation ,! task =ce %all     
assi/ 9 ! implem5tation ( any           
recomm5dations or proposals conta9$ 9 ! 
report submitt$ "u subsection 7c74  7e7 
,sunset ,! au?ority "u ?is section %all 
sunset on ! date t is #e ye>s aft] !    
date on :i* ! task =ce submits ! report 
"u subsection 7c74