[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9480 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9480
To permit State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies that
receive eligible Federal grant funds to use such funds for
investigating senior financial fraud, pig butchering, and general
financial fraud, and to clarify that Federal law enforcement agencies
may assist State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies in the use
of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 6, 2024
Mr. Nunn of Iowa (for himself, Mr. Gottheimer, and Mr. Fitzgerald)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security,
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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To permit State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies that
receive eligible Federal grant funds to use such funds for
investigating senior financial fraud, pig butchering, and general
financial fraud, and to clarify that Federal law enforcement agencies
may assist State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies in the use
of tracing tools for blockchain and related technology, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Empowering Law Enforcement to Combat
Financial Fraud Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Eligible federal grant funds.--The term ``eligible
Federal grant funds'' means funds received under the following:
(A) The Department of Justice Economic, High-
Technology, White Collar, and Internet Crime Prevention
National Training and Technical Assistance Program.
(B) The Department of Justice Information Sharing
Training and Technical Assistance Program.
(C) The Department of Justice Internet of Things
National Training and Technical Assistance Program.
(D) Section 1401 of the Violence Against Women Act
Reauthorization Act of 2022 (34 U.S.C. 30107; relating
to Local Law Enforcement Grants for Enforcement of
Cybercrimes Against Individuals).
(E) Section 2220A of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (6 U.S.C. 665g; relating to the State and Local
Cybersecurity Grant Program).
(F) The National Cybersecurity Preparedness
Consortium Act of 2021 (6 U.S.C. 652 note; relating to
the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium).
(G) The Department of Justice COPS Technology and
Equipment Program.
(2) General financial fraud.--The term ``general financial
fraud'' means the intentional misrepresentation of information
or identity to deceive others, the unlawful use of a credit
card, debit card, or automated teller machine or the use of
electronic means to transmit deceptive information, in order to
obtain money or other things of value.
(3) Pig butchering.--The term ``pig butchering'' means a
confidence and investment fraud in which the victim is
gradually lured into making increasing monetary contributions,
generally in the form of cryptocurrency, to a seemingly sound
investment before the scammer disappears with the contributed
monies.
(4) Senior financial fraud.--The term ``senior financial
fraud'' means the illegal or improper use of an elderly or
adult with a disability's money, property, or other resources
for monetary or personal benefit, profit, or gain.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the
United States.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL GRANTS USED FOR INVESTIGATING SENIOR FINANCIAL FRAUD,
PIG BUTCHERING, AND GENERAL FINANCIAL FRAUD.
(a) In General.--State, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies
that receive eligible Federal grant funds may use such funds for
investigating senior financial fraud, pig butchering, and general
financial fraud, including by--
(1) hiring and retaining analysts, agents, experts, and
other personnel;
(2) providing training specific to complex financial
investigations, including training on--
(A) coordination and collaboration between State,
local, Tribal, and Federal law enforcement agencies;
(B) assisting victims of financial fraud and
exploitation;
(C) the use of blockchain intelligence tools and
related capabilities related to emerging technologies
identified in the February 2024 ``Critical and Emerging
Technology List Update'' of the Fast Track Action
Subcommittee on Critical and Emerging Technologies of
the National Science and Technology Council (the
``Critical and Emerging Technology List''); and
(D) unique aspects of fraud investigations,
including transnational financial investigations and
emerging technologies identified in the Critical and
Emerging Technology List;
(3) obtaining software and technical tools to conduct
financial fraud and exploitation investigations; and
(4) encouraging improved data collection and reporting.
(b) Report To Grant Provider.--Each law enforcement agency that
makes use of eligible Federal grant funds for a purpose specified under
subsection (a) shall, not later than 1 year after making such use of
the funds, issue a report to the Federal agency that provided the
eligible Federal grant funds, containing--
(1) an explanation of the amount of funds so used, and the
specific purpose for which the funds were used;
(2) statistics with respect to senior financial fraud, pig
butchering, and general financial fraud in the jurisdiction of
the law enforcement agency, along with an analysis of how the
use of the funds for a purpose specified under subsection (a)
affected such statistics; and
(3) an assessment of the ability of the law enforcement
agency to deter senior financial fraud, pig butchering, and
general financial fraud.
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Each Federal agency that provides eligible Federal grant funds that
are used for a purpose specified under section 3(a) shall issue an
annual report to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs of the Senate containing the information received from law
enforcement agencies under section 3(b).
SEC. 5. FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ASSISTING STATE, LOCAL, AND
TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FUSION CENTERS.
Federal law enforcement agencies may assist State, local, and
Tribal law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in the use of
tracing tools for blockchain and related technology tools.
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