Tennessee Takes Steps To Stop State Procurement of Restricted China Tech

This past January, Tennessee State Representative John Ragan, Chairman of the Government Operations Committee, introduced The Procurement Protection Act (HB 1841) which was followed by the companion Senate bill (SB 2859) introduced by Senator Kerry Roberts. The bills prohibit certain foreign entities, including China from submitting bids for contracts with the state or a political subdivision of the state and requires entities bidding on contracts to make certain disclosures and certifications.

Updated 2024 research from China Tech Threat (CTT) found that Tennessee has continued to spend money on restricted Chinese-owned technology. Since CTT’s original report in 2023, the state has spent an additional $6,030 in 2024 and $8,446 in 2023.

The introduction of these bills are an important step to secure Tennessee from interference from the CCP.

CTT’s supports the work by these two Tennessee leaders and calls for swift passage to stop the flow of taxpayer dollars to the CCP.

To learn more information on Tennessee’s past spending click here to read our 2023 blog.