S. 2227: Strengthening Prosecution Integrity for Espionage Statutes Act

This bill, known as the Strengthening Prosecution Integrity for Espionage Statutes Act (SPIES Act), proposes changes to existing U.S. laws concerning certain offenses related to espionage. The key points of the bill are as follows:

Removal of Time Limits for Espionage Prosecutions

The main provision of the SPIES Act is to eliminate the statute of limitations for several espionage-related offenses. This means that individuals accused of certain crimes could be prosecuted at any time, regardless of how much time has passed since the alleged crime was committed. Specifically, the offenses affected by this change include:

• Violations of section 951, which pertains to the unlawful activities of foreign agents.
• Violations of section 794, which deals with the gathering or delivery of national defense information to aid a foreign government.
• Violations of section 1425, related to fraudulent acts regarding naturalization or citizenship, particularly if these actions support a violation of section 951.

Amendments to Existing Laws

The bill includes amendments to Title 18 of the United States Code, specifically Chapter 213, which addresses espionage offenses. It introduces a new section, 3302, specifically dedicated to espionage-related offenses and clarifies that indictments can be initiated at any time without limitations for the offenses described above.

Clerical and Conforming Amendments

Additionally, there are clerical changes proposed to ensure that the law reflects these new offenses and provisions accurately. This includes updating tables of sections within the U.S. Code to include the newly added section on espionage offenses.

Intended Purpose

The overall goal of the bill is to strengthen the ability of the authorities to prosecute espionage-related crimes, thereby enhancing national security and legal integrity regarding matters of espionage and foreign agent activities.

Relevant Companies

None found