Three recently introduced, bipartisan congressional bills aim to prevent Huawei from doing business in the United States. The Prevent Abuse of the Legal System Act would prevent companies on the Commerce Department’s Entity List (Huawei was added to it in May) from buying, selling or solely licensing American patents. The Huawei Prohibition Act of 2019, would prevent Huawei’s removal from Entity List until after the Secretary of Commerce officially certifies that the Huawei no longer poses a national security threat. The Defending America’s 5G Future Act would also make it more difficult to remove Huawei from the list.
The public comments by Republican and Democratic sponsors of this legislation make clear they understand the threat emanating from the Chinese tech giant:
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL): “Huawei, a malign Chinese state-directed telecommunications company that seeks to dominate the future of 5G networks, is an instrument of national power used by the regime in Beijing to undermine U.S. companies and other international competitors, engage in espionage on foreign countries, and steal intellectual property and trade secrets.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): “Huawei poses an alarming and unacceptable threat to our nation’s critical telecommunications networks. Our bipartisan bill is a no-brainer. Preventing Huawei from doing business in the United States protects our national security. We must act swiftly to make sure this dangerous company does not cause us harm.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR): “Huawei isn’t a normal business partner for American companies, it’s a front for the Chinese Communist Party. Our bill reinforces the president’s decision to place Huawei on a technology blacklist. American companies shouldn’t be in the business of selling our enemies the tools they’ll use to spy on Americans.”
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA): “President Trump’s executive order and the Department of Commerce’s Entity List designation reflect the reality that companies like Huawei represent a threat to the security of U.S. and allied communications networks.”
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT): “We must make a concerted effort to confront the threat China poses to U.S. national security, intellectual property, and technology.”
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI): “Huawei is an appendage of the Chinese Communist Party and should be treated as such.”
Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA): “Huawei is a threat to our international communications and, thus, our national security. This bipartisan legislation prevents compromises of our communications and stops foreign adversaries from benefiting from our ingenuity. It is time for Congress to come together and reassert its authority to protect American business and consumers and the safety of our constituents.”
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ): “The threat from Huawei to U.S. and allied information networks is real. We cannot allow safeguards and restrictions placed on them to backslide without Congress having a say in the matter.”