H.R. 3278 explained · 119th Congress · Pending in Congress
Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act
Cosponsors: 3 (1 D, 2 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-11
Introduced: 2025-05-08
Latest action (2025-05-08): Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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.
What H.R. 3278 does, in plain terms
Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act This bill increases federal criminal penalties for computer fraud and abuse offenses that involve critical infrastructure. The term critical infrastructure means systems and assets, physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health and safety, or any combination of those matters. Specifically, the bill imposes a fine, a mandatory minimum prison term of 30 years, or both for a computer fraud or abuse offense that involves critical infrastructure. Additionally, the bill directs the President to impose asset- and visa-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that access or attempt to access critical infrastructure.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.
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