Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official Website
Legislation aimed at strengthening the federal government's defenses against foreign interference in information technology and communications systems has advanced in Congress. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform approved the Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill led by Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Congressman William Timmons (R-SC), and Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA).
"We cannot allow Chinese companies to have access to the federal procurement process, so we are taking action to prevent that,” said Moolenaar. “We need secure, dependable supply chains that are protected from exploitation by foreign adversaries, and that applies to government just as much as American industry. This legislation will strengthen our country, and it has strong bipartisan support.”
The proposed law would update the FASC by relocating it to the Executive Office of the President, broadening its authority, and providing dedicated operational resources. These changes are intended to help federal agencies proactively identify, investigate, and remove high-risk foreign vendors and equipment.
“Communist China is constantly looking for ways to exploit vulnerabilities in our federal systems and spy on the United States,” said Timmons when introducing the bill last week. “American taxpayer dollars should never be used to purchase technology that could compromise our national security. This legislation gives the federal government the tools and authority it needs to block dangerous foreign suppliers, secure our supply chains, and protect sensitive government networks before a threat becomes a crisis. We must be proactive, not reactive, when it comes to defending our country.”
Subramanyam added last week: “Protecting federal information technology systems from foreign adversary influence shouldn't be a partisan issue. This bill ensures we are not spending taxpayer dollars on technology or vendors tied to foreign adversaries who could compromise our systems. It’s a commonsense step for acquisition security and reducing risk across federal agencies."
The full text of the bill is available online.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party examines economic and security challenges posed by China while developing policy recommendations according to its official website https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/. The committee also proposes legislation designed to enhance U.S. competitiveness against China https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/, functioning as a bipartisan body within the U.S. House of Representatives https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/. Its work includes analyzing issues such as technology competition, supply chain stability, and national security threats; it holds sessions and issues documents advancing strategies meant to safeguard U.S. innovation through coordinated governmental responses https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/.
