Loeffler: Time To Hold Chinese Communist Party Accountable
Cosponsors Two Bills to Sanction CCP For Suppressing Information on COVID-19, Prevent CCP Surveillance
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) helped introduce two pieces of legislation aimed at holding the Chinese Community Party (CCP) accountable and preventing CCP surveillance amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Loeffler cosponsored the Li Wenliang Global Public Health Accountability Act which would authorize the president to sanction foreign officials who suppress or distort information about international public health crises, including COVID-19. Loeffler also cosponsored the Countering Chinese Attempts at Snooping (CCAS) Act, to thwart Chinese surveillance by prohibiting U.S. federal employees from conducting official business over platforms run by Chinese companies the U.S. Department of State determines are used for such activities.
“Every American is unfortunately living this reality because of the behavior of the Chinese Communist Party,” Loeffler said. “From the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the CCP withheld critical information that allowed this virus to spread around the world. At the same time, the CPP is using communications platforms to access foreign networks and gather valuable information. The legislation I’m cosponsoring is necessary to hold the CCP accountable, ensure our national security and protect all Americans. We have a president who has strongly advocated to hold China accountable. I’m confident that with this administration, we will do just that.”
Background on the Li Wenliang Global Public Health Accountability Act:
The Li Wenliang Global Public Health Accountability Act, led by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is named after the Chinese doctor who first identified the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in China late last year and who later died from the virus on Feb. 7, 2020. The bill would allow the president to sanction foreign officials who suppress or distort information about public health emergencies of international concern, including the coronavirus. These sanctions include inadmissibility to the United States, revocation of existing U.S. visas, and the blocking of all property within the United States. This legislation—modeled after the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act—would provide Congress with the authority to request that the president review specific foreign officials for sanctions eligibility. Within 120 days of receiving such a request, the president must decide whether to impose sanctions and report the decision to Congress. Read the full text of the bill here.
Background on the CCAS Act:
The CCAS Act, led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) requires the Secretary of State to create a list of Chinese technology companies that enable the CCP to conduct espionage based on a list of criteria, including enabling surveillance and granting access to foreign networks. Once the list is created, the legislation prohibits U.S. officials from using technology provided by those companies. Additionally, the CCAS Act would allow the United States to offset annual payments to the United Nations (U.N.) equal to the value of the contracts the U.N. signs with those companies. Read the full text of the CCAS Act here.