Summary of Senate Bill S.1490 — GHOST Act of 2025

Overview

• Bill number & title: S. 1490, Global Hunt for Offshore Smuggling and Trafficking Act of 2025 (GHOST Act of 2025).
• Status: Introduced in the U.S. Senate.
• Introduction date: April 10, 2025.
• Short citation in text: “GHOST Act of 2025.”
• Classification: Senate bill.

Purpose (as stated in the available text)

• The introduced content provides only a short title and citation for the act. No substantive sections or purpose statements are included in the version content provided. Therefore, the specific goals, definitions, or policy changes proposed by the bill are not disclosed in the available text.

Legislative Actions and Timeline

• Introduced in Senate: April 10, 2025.
• Read twice and referred: April 10, 2025 — referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
• These actions indicate the bill is in the early stage of the legislative process, pending committee consideration, potential amendments, and later floor action.

Sponsors

• Primary sponsor: Joni Ernst
• Cosponsor: Richard Blumenthal

Key Provisions and Changes (Not Available in Provided Text)

• The materials provided do not include the bill’s full text or any substantive sections. As a result, there are no specific provisions, mandates, funding authorizations, enforcement tools, penalties, or timelines to summarize.
• Once the full text is available, a complete summary would typically cover:
  • Definitions (e.g., what constitutes offshore smuggling and trafficking).
  • Authorized activities (law enforcement powers, investigative tools, international cooperation).
  • Agencies involved and any coordination mechanisms (e.g., DHS, DOJ, Coast Guard, international partners).
  • Funding levels, appropriations, or reprogramming authorities.
  • Penalties, offenses, and civil/remedial provisions.
  • Reporting, oversight, and evaluation requirements.
  • Effective date and sunset provisions (if any).

Who would be Affected

• At this stage, the specific individuals, organizations, and sectors are not identifiable from the provided text. Typically, a bill of this nature would affect federal law enforcement agencies, border and coast guard operations, customs, and possibly international partners, as well as individuals and entities involved in offshore smuggling and trafficking.

Next Steps and Considerations

• Monitor for the full text to be released by the judiciary committee or the sponsor.
• Expect potential hearings and markups in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Watch for amendments that clarify scope, funding, enforcement mechanisms, and international cooperation provisions.
• Follow updates on potential bipartisan support or opposition as the bill progresses.

If you can provide the full text or additional details, I can deliver a detailed provision-by-provision summary with analysis of impacts and implementation timelines.