House lawmakers are set to address the threat posed by the CCP to the United States through technology and influence in a series of bills during “China Week.” This initiative, led by House Republican leadership, will cover a range of issues from protecting farmland and trade secrets to safeguarding critical infrastructure and advanced technology from the CCP. The bipartisan effort reflects the consensus in Congress that the Chinese regime is the most significant national security risk to the U.S., a position likely to continue into the next administration.
Around 20 bills are expected to be fast-tracked in the House, focusing on tackling the CCP’s threat in technology and influence. Measures include prohibiting Chinese entities from compromising U.S. security through insecure devices or data collection, enhancing export controls to maintain U.S. technological leadership, and reducing Chinese influence in U.S. elections and universities.
These bills aim to address concerns about Chinese technology infiltrating critical infrastructure and collecting personal data of Americans. For example, legislation like the Countering CCP Drones Act seeks to restrict the use of Chinese drones in the U.S. market due to security risks. Additionally, the BIOSECURE Act aims to prevent federal funding for Chinese biotechnology firms to safeguard American data and ethical standards in biotechnology.
Efforts to curb Chinese influence on American soil also include bills targeting tax-exempt organizations and universities receiving Beijing-based funding. These measures underline the need to address Chinese interference in U.S. elections and national security.
The proposed bills have a limited scope and are expected to receive bipartisan support, given the Republicans’ narrow majority of four seats.
Some bills call for further research on specific issues, while more decisive actions, such as restricting investments in China and eliminating the de minimis exemption on Chinese goods, are not included in the current proposals.
It is unclear whether President Joe Biden supports these measures, which may be crucial for their passage in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Catherine Yang has contributed to this report.
