WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a group of nine Senate Republican colleagues—led by U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee— to introduce the STRATEGIC Act 2024, legislation to set up the United States and its allies and partners for success in the strategic competition against China.

“We know that China is intent on challenging the U.S. in everything from military strength to economic power, trade relations, and global influence. Competing with the CCP’s influence operations and standing up to their coercive tactics should be a priority across the federal government. The STRATEGIC Act charts a course for a comprehensive approach to competition with China and shows that Senate Republicans are ready to confront China’s malign actions from a position of strength,” Senator Capito said.

The STRATEGIC Act:

  • Addresses predatory Chinese economic practices through a new initiative to counter economic coercion, prohibition of World Bank contracts for Chinese companies, and anti-trust reform. It also expands the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States to cover agricultural investments with national security risks.
  • 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.
  • Strengthens U.S. support for Taiwan and partner countries facing threats from China, and establishes a U.S. State/Treasury Department “Tiger Team” to start identifying targets for sanctions, export controls, other economic measures well before China takes military action.
  • Increases oversight of U.S. government funding for biological research with China.
  • Strengthens international security by countering proliferation of Chinese drones in the Middle East and modifying the Missile Technology Control Regime to increase cooperation with key allies like the United Kingdom and Australia.
  • Protects U.S. interests in international organizations and support for human rights.
  • Reforms the Foreign Agents Registration Act by removing commercial and Lobbying and Disclosure Act exemptions for foreign adversaries and giving the Department of Justice authorities to issue civil investigative demands.
  • Authorizes strategic infrastructure initiatives focused on digital, transport, and energy sectors, strengthens supply chain security, and lowers trade barriers in partner countries.

In addition to Senators Capito and Risch, this bill was also introduced by U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

A one-pager of the bill can be found here.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

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