S. 5024 – Stop PRC Economic Espionage Act of 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated July 21, 2026 at 2:12 AM UTC

The Stop PRC Economic Espionage Act of 2026 changes U.S. law to treat companies that are based in designated foreign adversary nations as "foreign instrumentalities" for the purpose of the economic espionage prohibition. By expanding the definition, the bill makes it easier to prosecute economic espionage cases involving entities from those countries. It primarily affects foreign companies operating in adversary nations and U.S. prosecutors handling espionage cases.

Key Provisions

Amends 18 U.S.C. §1839(1) to add a new category (B) that includes any entity domiciled in a "covered nation" (as defined in 10 U.S.C. §4872, i.e., a foreign adversary country).
Removes the phrase "that is substantially owned" and replaces it with a two‑part definition: (A) substantially owned, or (B) domiciled in a covered nation, thereby broadening the scope of who is considered a foreign instrumentality under the economic espionage law.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

July 16, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 16, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

July 16, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 16, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5024

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 16, 2026

Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Cotton) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide that an entity domiciled in a foreign adversary country is a foreign instrumentality for purposes of the prohibition on economic espionage.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Stop PRC Economic Espionage Act of 2026.

2.

Definition of foreign instrumentality for purposes of economic espionage prohibition

Section 1839(1) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by striking that is substantially owned and inserting the following: “that is—

(A)

substantially owned

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following: “or

(B)

domiciled in a covered nation, as defined in section 4872 of title 10;

.