House Foreign Affairs Committee Passes Wild Bill To Counter Chinese Cybersecurity Threats

Press Release

Yesterday, in a full committee markup, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H.R. 8520, the Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act. Rep. Wild's bipartisan bill would investigate and respond to security vulnerabilities caused by Chinese telecommunications companies in U.S. embassies overseas and among U.S. collective defense allies.

"Reporting has shown us how Huawei and ZTE operate as vehicles for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to commit human rights violations against the Uyghur people, conduct mass surveillance, and spread that technology to other authoritarian regimes" said Rep. Wild. "In the face of this threat, we need to redouble our efforts to protect our national security and interests, help our allies take vital measures for their own security, and stand firmly in defense of fundamental rights."

The Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act would require the State Department to report on U.S. collective defense allies using untrusted telecommunication equipment or services in their 5G networks, mandate a report on telecommunications vulnerabilities in U.S. embassies overseas, and direct the Secretary of State to identify key telecommunications infrastructure projects designed to promote U.S. national security. The legislation would also require publicly traded companies to disclose whether they have contracted to use untrusted telecommunications equipment or services covered under the bill.

Since her election to the House in 2018, Rep. Wild has consistently used her platform in Congress to advance legislation relating to the CCP's mass surveillance and human rights violations, particularly against the Uyghur people. Rep. Wild has spoken about these issues in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on the House Floor, and worked with the End Uyghur Forced Labor Coalition to press for strong legislative action.

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