[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 10, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H6568-H6570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STRATEGIC HOMELAND INTELLIGENCE AND ENFORCEMENT LEGISLATION TO DEFEND
AGAINST THE CCP ACT
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 9668) to establish in the Department of Homeland
Security a working group relating to countering terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation security
threats posed to the United States by the Chinese Communist Party, and
for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 9668
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strategic Homeland
Intelligence and Enforcement Legislation to Defend against
the CCP Act'' or the ``SHIELD Against CCP Act''.
SEC. 2. WORKING GROUP TO COUNTER CERTAIN THREATS POSED TO THE
UNITED STATES BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall establish in the Department of Homeland Security a
working group (in this section referred to as the ``Working
Group''), which shall carry out the duties specified in
subsection (b) relating to countering terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation
security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese
Communist Party.
(2) Director.--
(A) Appointment.--The head of the Working Group shall be a
Director (in this section referred to as the ``Director''),
who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(B) Reporting.--The Director shall report to the Secretary
of Homeland Security regarding all administrative,
operational, and security matters of the Working Group.
(3) Staffing.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
ensure the Working Group is provided with the following:
(A) A sufficient number of employees to perform required
duties.
(B) Not fewer than one employee dedicated to ensuring
compliance with privacy laws and regulations.
(4) Detailees.--The Working Group may accept and employ
detailees with expertise in countering terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation
security threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to the
United States, or in related fields, from any element of the
intelligence community or any other Federal agency the
Director determines appropriate, with or without
reimbursement, consistent with applicable laws and
regulations regarding such employees.
(b) Duties.--The Working Group shall carry out the
following:
(1) Examine, assess, and report upon efforts by the
Department of Homeland Security to counter terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation
security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese
Communist Party, including efforts to counter the Chinese
Communist Party's--
(A) nontraditional tactics and exploitation of the United
States immigration system through--
(i) identity theft;
(ii) the immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processes;
(iii) unlawful border crossings;
(iv) human smuggling; and
(v) human trafficking;
(B) predatory economic and trade practices, including the
trafficking of counterfeit and pirated goods, the use of
forced labor, labor exploitation for financial gain, customs
fraud, and theft of intellectual property and technology;
(C) direct or indirect support for transnational criminal
organizations trafficking in fentanyl, illicit drug
precursors, or other controlled substances through--
(i) the United States border;
(ii) international mail shipments; or
(iii) express consignment operations; and
(D) support for illicit financial activity by Chinese Money
Laundering Organizations, including any repatriation to China
or any other country of the proceeds derived from the
activities described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).
(2) Account for the resources of the Department that are
dedicated to programs aimed at countering terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation
security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese
Communist Party, and any supporting information as to the
efficacy of each such program.
(3) Build upon existing or ongoing evaluations and avoid
unnecessary duplication by reviewing the findings,
conclusions, and recommendations of other appropriate working
groups, committees, commissions, or entities established by
the Department related to efforts to counter terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation
security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese
Communist Party.
(4) Identify gaps in policies, processes, and activities of
the Department to respond to terrorist, cybersecurity, border
and port security, and transportation security threats posed
to the United States by the Chinese Communist Party.
(5) Facilitate cooperation and coordination among offices
and components of the Department on a holistic response to
countering terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port
security, and transportation security threats posed to the
United States by the Chinese Communist Party.
(c) Additional Duty Relating to Information Sharing.--The
Working Group shall review, in coordination with the Office
of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland
Security, information relating to terrorist, cybersecurity,
border and port security, and transportation security threats
posed to the United States by the Chinese Communist Party
that is gathered by Federal, State, local, Tribal, and
territorial partners, and the National Network of Fusion
Centers, and incorporate such information, as appropriate,
into the Working Group's own information relating to such
threats. The Working Group, in coordination with the Office
of Intelligence and Analysis, shall also ensure the
dissemination to Federal, State, local, Tribal, and
territorial partners, and the National Network of Fusion
Centers, of information related to such threats.
(d) Annual Assessments.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this section and annually thereafter for
five years, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
coordination with the Under Secretary for Intelligence and
Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security, the Director
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of
National Intelligence, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report that assesses terrorist,
cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation
security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese
Communist Party during the immediately preceding 12 months.
(2) Contents.--Each assessment under paragraph (1) shall
also include the following:
(A) A description of the activities and operations of the
Working Group undertaken pursuant to subsection (b).
(B) Any other matters the Secretary of Homeland Security
determines relevant.
(3) Form.--Each assessment under paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall post on a
publicly available website of the Department of Homeland
Security the unclassified portion of each assessment.
(4) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the submission
of each assessment under paragraph (1), the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall provide to the appropriate
congressional committees a briefing on such assessment and
the progress and challenges of the Working Group.
(e) Comptroller General Review.--Not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the implementation of
this section.
(f) Research and Development.--Not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director and the
Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department
of Homeland Security, shall, to the extent practicable, carry
out research and development, including operational testing,
of technologies and techniques for enhancing the Department's
security and situational awareness relating to countering
terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port security, and
transportation security threats posed to the United States by
the Chinese Communist Party.
(g) Implementation.--All activities carried out pursuant to
this section--
(1) shall be carried out in accordance with applicable
constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties
protections; and
(2) may not infringe upon the lawful exercise of free
speech by United States persons.
[[Page H6569]]
(h) Sunset.--The Working Group shall terminate on the date
that is seven years after the establishment of the Working
Group under subsection (a)(1).
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) in the House of Representatives--
(i) the Committee on Homeland Security;
(ii) the Committee on Ways and Means;
(iii) the Committee on Financial Services;
(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; and
(v) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and
(B) in the Senate--
(i) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs;
(ii) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs;
(iii) the Committee on Finance;
(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; and
(v) the Committee on Foreign Relations.
(2) Fusion center.--The term ``fusion center'' has the
meaning given such term in subsection (k) of section 210A of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h).
(3) Intelligence community.--The term ``intelligence
community'' has the meaning given such term in section 3(4)
of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)).
(4) National network of fusion centers.--The term
``National Network of Fusion Centers'' means a decentralized
arrangement of fusion centers intended to enhance individual
State and urban area fusion centers' ability to leverage the
capabilities and expertise of all such fusion centers for the
purpose of enhancing analysis and homeland security
information sharing nationally.
(5) United states persons.--The term ``United States
person'' has the meaning given such term in section
1637(d)(10) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2015 (50
U.S.C. 1708(d)(10)).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Green) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Clarke)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
General Leave
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 9668.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 9668, the SHIELD Against
the CCP Act.
Throughout the past few years, the Chinese Communist Party has
increasingly threatened our security, the security of our homeland. We
must begin to come up with serious solutions to this very serious
problem, and this bill is an important start.
This bill will require DHS to establish a working group to
appropriately address and counter these threats.
I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Strong) for
his work on this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the actions of the Chinese Communist Party at home and
around the world have shown us that China is intent on undermining the
global standing of the United States and weakening democratic
institutions and norms.
According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence,
China is expanding its covert influence and aims to sow doubts about
U.S. leadership and undermine democracy, including by interfering in
our elections.
{time} 1530
The FBI director has stated that the CCP poses a broad and
unrelenting threat to the United States critical infrastructure.
H.R. 9668 would require the Department of Homeland Security to
establish a working group to coordinate its efforts to address threats
that the CCP poses to the homeland. The working group would evaluate
threats posed by the CCP, identify what DHS is doing to address these
threats, identify what more could be done to address these threats, and
then facilitate coordination across DHS to holistically address the
threats from the CCP.
By supporting this bill, Congress can ensure that DHS has a strong
and unified response to the Chinese Communist Party provocation and
aggression.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Strong).
Mr. STRONG. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my legislation, H.R.
9668, the SHIELD Against CCP Act.
We can all agree that the Chinese Communist Party poses a clear and
present danger to America's democracy and homeland security.
The CCP exploits every possible avenue to undermine our national
security, and the Biden-Harris administration's open southern border
policy and soft-on-China policies have only aided our adversaries'
ability to harm American interests.
Our immigration system is routinely exploited by the CCP through
identity theft, immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processes, and unlawful
border crossings. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data,
in fiscal year 2021, there were 323 apprehensions of Chinese foreign
nationals. Nearly 4 years of the Biden-Harris administration have
ballooned that number to 64,000.
In addition to exploiting our immigration system, the CCP also
engages in theft of U.S. intellectual property and technology, which
comes at a significant cost to our economy. It is estimated that
China's IP theft alone costs the average American family of four
anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000 annually after taxes. It is critical
that DHS do more to combat these complex threats both at home and
abroad.
For these reasons, I introduced H.R. 9668, the SHIELD Against CCP
Act. This legislation will require the Department of Homeland Security
to establish a dedicated working group to counter threats posed to our
homeland security by the Chinese Communist Party.
Specifically, it will require them to examine, assess, and report on
DHS' efforts to counter the threats posed by the CCP. To ensure DHS is
held accountable, H.R. 9668 also requires DHS to report annually to
Congress.
It is our duty in Congress to ensure the safety and well-being of our
great Nation, and we must not ignore the increasing aggression and
influence of China on the global stage.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green and all of the Members who have
supported this legislation, and I urge all Members to join me in
supporting this critically important piece of legislation to protect
our national security and safeguard our interest.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi), who is the bill's Democratic
lead.
Mr. SUOZZI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green and Congresswoman
Clarke, my good friend, for their leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of a bill I authored with Congressman
Strong, the bipartisan SHIELD Against the CCP Act.
The Chinese Communist Party is intent on promoting authoritarianism
by weakening America from within. They seek to take our greatest
strengths: pluralism, diversity, free speech, capitalism, and
representative government, and use them against us.
China uses our freedoms, our social media, and our open society to
sow chaos and division in our country. They know we cannot solve
difficult problems in an environment of fear and anger, so they
encourage fear and anger. They promote the most extreme sides of our
thorniest debates. Whether it is Black lives matter versus blue lives
matter, or transgender versus evangelicals, or Israel versus Gaza, the
Chinese Communist Party promotes the most extreme positions on both
sides of the debate, not with an objective of winning a debate but of
fomenting dissent in America.
Add to this theft of our intellectual property, threats to our
critical infrastructure, and trying to intimidate U.S. citizens through
transnational repression. We must act.
The fact that today we are promoting bipartisan legislation is our
greatest possible response. Democrats and Republicans can work together
to combat this threat.
Our bipartisan bill counters the Chinese Communist Party with
strength by, one, building the capacity of the Department of Homeland
Security to
[[Page H6570]]
fight predatory economic and trade practices; two, preventing identity
theft; three, strengthening our border security; four, providing the
Department of Homeland Security with adequate resources to protect our
critical infrastructure; five, improving cybersecurity; and, six,
fighting transnational repression and criminal organizations.
The FBI Director has stated that the CCP, the Chinese Communist
Party, poses a broad and unrelenting threat. The Chinese Communist
Party is also engaged in a brutal campaign of transnational repression,
targeting democracy advocates, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, Uyghurs, and
other ethnic minority groups.
The Chinese Communist Party actually targets Americans, including my
constituents. Just before Thanksgiving, after years of fighting for his
release, I received the incredible news that my constituent, Kai Li,
was finally released to the U.S. after more than a decade of wrongful
imprisonment in China. If we are to honor the years Mr. Li spent
Chinese detention, then we must remain clear-eyed about the CCP threat
and redouble our efforts to counter it.
Among their provocative tactics is transnational repression, which
can be illustrated through the torment of Dr. Gulshan Abbas and her
family. In 2018, Dr. Abbas was taken to a Uyghur forced labor camp.
What was her crime, Mr. Speaker?
Her sister, Rushan Abbas, an American, spoke out against the Uyghur
genocide during a panel discussion here in America, then her sister was
put in prison in China.
Think about it, Mr. Speaker. The CCP is not only carrying out mass
detention, torture, forced sterilization, and forced labor against
religious minorities within China, but also imprisoning family members
of American citizens to suppress free expression here in America.
Let me be clear: the United States cannot waver in the face of this
unrelenting strategic adversary. Today, we must demonstrate our resolve
by supporting the SHIELD Against CCP Act which will help ensure that
our government has a strong and unified response to the Chinese
Communist Party's aggression.
Working with Congressman Strong demonstrates that when we work
together, we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation.
Ms. CLARKE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I
yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Strong and Suozzi for leading on
this bill, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I echo those
comments. This is another great bipartisan effort in the Committee on
Homeland Security.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 9668, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 9668, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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