Overview

• Bill amends Section 793 of Title 18 U.S.C. (the Espionage Act) to explicitly include video recordings of defense information
• Adds word 'video' after 'photographic negative' throughout existing espionage statute
• Introduced May 20, 2025, reported out of Judiciary Committee without changes on Feb 9, 2026

Who does this affect?

• Main groups: Anyone recording video near military installations, defense contractors handling classified information, drone operators
• Who benefits: Military installations gain clearer legal protections against video surveillance that current law may not cover
• Who loses: Those who record video of defense sites (even accidentally) face same criminal penalties as for taking photos
• Teen impact score: 1/10 (minimal teen connection—applies to criminal espionage law most teens would never encounter)

What This Bill Does

• Amends 18 U.S.C. § 793 by inserting the word 'video,' after 'photographic negative,' each place that phrase appears
• Extends existing Espionage Act prohibitions and penalties to video recordings (previously only photos explicitly mentioned)
• No new penalties created—applies existing punishment framework (up to 10 years imprisonment under various subsections) to video format
• Closes potential loophole where video might not be prosecuted under law written before video technology was common

Legislative Status

• Introduced in Senate on May 20, 2025, and referred to Judiciary Committee
• Reported out without amendment on Feb 9, 2026, and placed on Senate Legislative Calendar (Calendar No. 316)
• Has 13 bipartisan cosponsors including senators from both parties

In short

• Updates 1917-era espionage law to include modern video technology alongside existing photo ban
• Makes recording video of classified military sites subject to same criminal penalties as taking photos
• Addresses gap where drone video surveillance might not clearly violate current statute
• Applies existing Espionage Act penalties (potentially up to 10 years prison) to video recordings of defense information

Why should I care?

This bill addresses how century-old espionage laws handle modern technology. The Espionage Act was written in 1917 when cameras took still photos on film. Video cameras barely existed, and drones with HD cameras weren't even imaginable. Today, cheap consumer drones can record hours of video footage over military bases or classified facilities. The current law explicitly bans 'photographic negatives' but doesn't mention video, creating potential legal confusion. This bill simply adds video to the existing prohibition. For most people this won't matter, but it clarifies that using drones or cameras to record classified defense sites carries the same legal consequences as taking photos.