H.R. 328: Hack Your State Department Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-08 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 45 (2019): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, HR328 (2019-01-22), Passed. See all
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Hack Your State Department Act

Plain summary

Hack Your State Department Act This bill requires the Department of State to design, establish, and make publicly known a Vulnerability Disclosure Process to improve cybersecurity. In establishing the process, the State Department must identify which information technology should be included, determine whether the process should differentiate among and specify the types of security vulnerabilities that may be targeted, and provide a readily available form and means of reporting, amongst other requirements. The bill requires the State Department to establish a bug bounty pilot program, where an approved individual, organization, or company is temporarily authorized to identify and report vulnerabilities of internet-facing information technology of the State Department in exchange for compensation.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Hack Your State Department Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Brad Sherman (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-33] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

House roll call 45 (2019): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, HR328 (2019-01-22): Passed

Words on this page, explained (3)

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).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr328.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr328 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116