PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 5490: Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act

119th Congress · introduced 2025-09-18 · International Affairs · Latest: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act

Plain summary

Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act This bill requires the President to (1) impose applicable sanctions on foreign persons (individuals or entities) responsible for online financial scams against U.S. nationals, and (2) establish an interagency task force to shut down the criminal syndicates perpetuating such scams. Under the bill, the President must determine whether 43 specified foreign persons, and any other foreign persons the President determines are responsible for or complicit in online financial scams against U.S. nationals, are subject to sanctions under specified laws and Executive Order 13581 . Upon such determination, the President must impose applicable sanctions (for example, blocking the sanctioned person's property transactions within the United States). The President must also establish an interagency task force to shut down transnational criminal syndicates that use large scam centers and forced labor of trafficked persons to perpetuate mass online scams against Americans. The task force must (1) submit a comprehensive strategy to Congress to combat these scam centers and dismantle the criminal elements involved with them, and (2) coordinate and oversee implementation of the strategy. Within 360 days of submitting the strategy to Congress and annually thereafter for five years the task force must submit to Congress a report addressing various topics related to such scam centers including a list of all foreign persons sanctioned by the United States for their scam center involvement. The Department of State is authorized to provide trauma-informed care, shelter, reintegration, and support services for victims of trafficking in persons within online scam centers.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6] · 73 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5490, Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act (2026-02-03)

Cosponsors on this site

John R. Moolenaar (R-MI), Michael A. Rulli (R-OH), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Rudy Yakym III (R-IN), Addison P. McDowell (R-NC), James C. Moylan (R-GU), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Eugene Simon Vindman (D-VA), Josh Riley (D-NY), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Timothy M. Kennedy (D-NY), Mark B. Messmer (R-IN), George Whitesides (D-CA), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Johnny Olszewski, Jr. (D-MD), Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), Derek Tran (D-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Troy Downing (R-MT), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Susie Lee (D-NV), Josh Harder (D-CA), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), Mark E. Amodei (R-NV), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Roger Williams (R-TX), Mike Bost (R-IL), August Pfluger (R-TX), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Max L. Miller (R-OH), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Craig A. Goldman (R-TX), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Vince Fong (R-CA), Matt Van Epps (R-TN), Russell Fry (R-SC), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and 13 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-hr5490 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills