Senators Hassan, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Criminal Penalties for Violent Crimes Directed by Foreign Adversaries

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase criminal penalties for individuals who commit, or attempt to commit, violent crimes in the United States on behalf of foreign adversaries. The legislation would both hold offenders accountable and deter criminals, including criminal organizations, from taking money from foreign adversaries in exchange for committing crimes on American soil. Representatives Ann Wagner (R-MO), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) are introducing companion legislation in the House.

Foreign adversaries are increasingly turning to criminals to commit violent crimes against their critics, including those who reside in the United States. For instance, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently charged an Iranian asset and two members of his criminal network for their alleged involvement in a plot to murder a U.S. citizen who has spoken out against the Iranian regime. DOJ also detailed how Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly tasked the same asset with creating a plan to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. Senators Hassan, Ernst, and a bipartisan group of colleagues previously wrote to DOJ calling for more information – and discussing the need for increased criminal penalties – to address this troubling trend of foreign-directed violence.

“Foreign adversaries like Iran are working with criminal organizations in the United States to kill people on American soil,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will take the existing criminal penalties on gangs and criminals who engage in violent behavior and make them even stronger for when they act on behalf of a foreign government. I will work with my colleagues to pass this legislation as quickly as possible to send a clear message that the United States will not tolerate this outrageous behavior.”

“After years of appeasement, Iran knows no bounds,” said Ernst. “Now that the regime has become so emboldened that it even attempted to assassinate President Trump, Senator Hassan and I are taking action to ensure any bad actor thinks twice before working with our adversaries or messing with any of our citizens. The bipartisan DETERRENCE Act will create severe consequences for anyone helping carry out Iran’s malign mission of ‘death to America’ and make any criminal organization think twice before targeting Americans on our own soil.”

“In the wake of Iran’s attempted assassination of President Trump, it is critical we prevent future attacks on our nation and deter foreign influence operations within our borders.  This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will increase the sentences of any criminal who commits violent crimes at the direction of a foreign government.  We are the most powerful nation in the world and it’s time we acted like it.  Americans must be protected from the increasingly brazen and destabilizing attacks by foreign nations, and we will not stop until they are brought to justice,” said Representative Wagner.

“Iran’s demonstrated willingness to target Americans, including elected officials, with murder-for-hire plots is deeply alarming. Congress must take decisive action to protect our citizens and hold foreign adversaries accountable. That’s why I helped introduce the bipartisan DETERRENCE Act, which will increase penalties for these heinous crimes. This legislation sends a clear message to Iran and any nation or individual conspiring against Americans: they will be held to account for such acts of violence,” said Representative Schneider.

“Recent assassination attempts and threats against President Trump and other U.S. citizens by Iran underscore the urgent need for strong and practical deterrence against all foreign regimes who seek to harm Americans on our soil. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation is a testament to America’s unwavering commitment to protecting its people and leaders. The DETERRENCE Act delivers a clear and resolute message: any attempt to harm Americans will be met with swift and decisive punishment,” said Representative Moran.

“As a member of the bipartisan task force investigating the assassination attempts against Donald Trump, I am deeply disturbed by the Iranian regime actively targeting the President-elect as well as other American nationals. We need to send a message that any person who works with a foreign government, especially a state sponsor of terrorism like Iran, will face severe consequences for harming Americans. I’m proud to be co-leading this bipartisan, bicameral bill to deter these kinds of threats,” said Representative Moskowitz.

Under the DETERRENCE Act, criminals working for foreign adversaries can be sentenced to longer prison sentences. The bill specifically increases criminal penalties for the following federal crimes when the crimes are committed under U.S. jurisdiction on behalf of foreign governments:

1. Engaging in a murder-for-hire scheme
2. Murdering or attempting to murder certain federal officials
3. Murdering or attempting to murder certain former federal officials, or their families, because of their official actions
4. Assaulting certain former federal officials, or their families, because of their official actions
5. Kidnapping or attempted kidnapping
6. Threats of violence using a dangerous weapon against certain current and former federal officials, as well as their families, because of their official actions
7. Stalking

Read the one-pager about the DETERRENCE Act here.

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