East Idaho Times

U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) have introduced the STRATEGIC Act, aimed at enhancing the United States' competitive stance against China. The legislation was presented alongside Senators Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.).

“Despite the significant threat China poses to the United States, the U.S. Congress has failed to enact legislation in a number of crucial areas that would set up the United States, its allies, and partners for success,” said Risch. “This legislation takes strong positions to safeguard U.S. interests and provides actionable provisions that will help us in our strategic competition with China. We cannot wait for more reports and studies – it is time to start implementing policies.”

“The Biden-Harris administration passively allows China’s malign actions to go unchecked, undermining our national security interests and that of our allies. This legislation forces real action to defend American prosperity and security against Chinese coercion,” said Crapo.

The STRATEGIC Act includes several key measures:

- Reforms the Foreign Agents Registration Act by removing commercial and Lobbying Disclosure Act exemptions for foreign adversaries and giving the Department of Justice authority to issue civil investigative demands.

- Counters malign Chinese Communist Party influence by enhancing think tank transparency, prohibiting certain gifts and contracts with strings attached to U.S. universities, improving research security, and exposing China's harassment and abuse of U.S. diplomats.

- Authorizes strategic infrastructure initiatives focused on digital, transport, and energy sectors; strengthens supply chain security; and lowers trade barriers in partner countries.

- Addresses predatory Chinese economic practices through anti-trust reform, a new initiative to counter economic coercion, and prohibition of World Bank contracts for Chinese companies. It also expands CFIUS to cover agricultural investments with national security risks.

- Strengthens international security by countering proliferation of Chinese unmanned aerial systems in the Middle East and modifying the Missile Technology Control Regime to increase AUKUS cooperation.

- Strengthens U.S. support for Taiwan and partner countries facing threats from China; establishes a State/Treasury “Tiger Team” to start identifying targets for sanctions, export controls, other economic measures well before China takes military action.

- Protects U.S. interests in international organizations and supports human rights.

- Increases oversight of U.S. government funding for biological research with China.

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