Loeffler, Cruz, Colleagues Introduce Protecting America From Spies Act

Bill Will Prohibit Individuals Who Attempt to Spy From Entering the United States

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced the Protecting America from Spies Act, a bill to empower the U.S. Department of State to deny visas to individuals who have committed acts of espionage or intellectual property theft against the United States. This legislation follows the State Department’s decision to close the Chinese Consulate in Houston in response to evidence of espionage and intellectual property theft.
 
“The theft and espionage of American technology, intellectual property and research threatens the safety, security and economy of the United States,” Loeffler said. “As the Chinese Communist Party seeks to expand its reach, this legislation takes an essential step to protect our national interests and ensure those who seek to undermine us are not allowed into the United States.”
 
“For too long China and our competitors have been using non-traditional forms of espionage against our country without any consequences,” Cruz said. “The State Department’s recent closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston due to the Communist Chinese Party actively engaging in espionage and intellectual property theft was an important step, but more needs to be done. That’s why today my colleagues and I are introducing legislation to strengthen our laws and protect our national security by ensuring that any individuals who attempt to spy or steal from the United States and their family members are denied access to our country.”
 
Background:
 
Under current law, the Chinese Communist Party’s spies expelled from the United States have the ability to immediately reapply for visas. The Protecting America from Spies Act would update the Immigration and Naturalization Act to ensure that an individual’s past, present and future espionage and tech-transfer activity would prohibit them from entering the United States. It also:

• Prohibits spouses and children of aliens engaged in espionage or tech-transfer from entering the United States if the illegal activity occurred within the past five years; and
• Allows the State Department to waive these restrictions if necessary, such as to fulfill U.S. obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement.

 
U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) filed the companion legislation in the House.