Source: (PHOTO: Eric Berman/WIBC)
WASHINGTON — Your senator wants a more comprehensive review process for agreements with China.
Thursday, Republican Senator Todd Young introduced the Science and Technology Agreement Enhance Congressional Notification Act. The bill would create a thorough review process for any changes to science and technology agreements (STAs) between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.
If passed, the bill would require the Secretary of State to bring any STA changes to Congress for a 30-day process in which your elected representatives would discuss national security risks, human rights, and monitoring China’s actions.
This also means the Secretary of State would be unable to renew or extend agreements with China without these steps from Congress:
- The full text of the agreement,
- A detailed justification for the STA, including an explanation as to why such agreement is in the national security interests of the United States,
- An assessment of the risks and potential effects of such agreement, including any potential for the transfer under such agreement of technology or intellectual property capable of harming the national security interests of the United States,
- A detailed justification for how the Secretary intends to address human rights concerns in any scientific and technology collaboration proposed to be conducted under such agreement, and
- An assessment of the extent to which the Secretary will be able to continuously monitor the commitments made by the PRC under such agreement.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s continued efforts to steal our intellectual property and disregard rules to gain a technological advantage must be addressed. Our bill would give Congress more tools to hold China accountable for its malign actions,” said Senator Young in a press release.
If the bill becomes law, the Secretary of State would have 60 days to give Congress all of the reporting information they need to address any issues with an STA, or it would be revoked.
The bill was introduced by Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
