PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 25, 1996
Economic Espionage and Protection of Proprietary Economic Information Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal criminal code to impose penalties upon individuals and corporations that engage in economic espionage to aid foreign nations' governments, corporations, institutions, or instrumentalities, including attempting, soliciting others, or conspiring to engage in such activity. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) vicarious liability; (2) forfeiture; (3) extraterritoriality; and (4) non-preemption of other Federal or State remedies. Requires the court to preserve the confidentiality of alleged proprietary economic information by any reasonable and lawful means, including by: (1) granting protective orders in connection with discovery proceedings; and (2) holding in camera hearings, sealing relevant portions of the record, and ordering any person involved in the proceedings not to disclose such information without prior court approval. Makes this Act inapplicable to lawfully authorized law enforcement or intelligence activities. Defines "goods, wares, or merchandise" for purposes of Federal criminal code provisions regarding stolen property to mean all forms and types of personal property and chattels including all forms and types of financial, scientific, technical, economic, or engineering information if the owner has taken reasonable measures to keep such property confidential and the property is not available generally to, or accessible by, the public. Revises the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and Federal wiretap provisions to cover economic espionage and the protection of proprietary economic information in interstate and foreign commerce.
People & committees
Sen. Cohen, William S. [R-ME] · R–ME
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S377-378)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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