Legislation aimed at strengthening the federal government’s ability to prevent China and other foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. information technology and communications systems has advanced in Congress. The Federal Acquisition Security Council (FASC) Improvement Act was approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The bipartisan bill is led by Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Congressman William Timmons (R-SC), and Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA).
“We cannot allow Chinese companies to have access to the federal procurement process, so we are taking action to prevent that,” said Moolenaar. “We need secure, dependable supply chains that are protected from exploitation by foreign adversaries, and that applies to government just as much as American industry. This legislation will strengthen our country, and it has strong bipartisan support.”
The proposed law would update the FASC by relocating it into the Executive Office of the President, expanding its authority, and giving it dedicated operational support. These changes aim to help proactively identify, investigate, and remove high-risk foreign vendors and equipment from all federal agencies.
“Communist China is constantly looking for ways to exploit vulnerabilities in our federal systems and spy on the United States,” said Timmons when introducing the legislation last week. “American taxpayer dollars should never be used to purchase technology that could compromise our national security. This legislation gives the federal government the tools and authority it needs to block dangerous foreign suppliers, secure our supply chains, and protect sensitive government networks before a threat becomes a crisis. We must be proactive, not reactive, when it comes to defending our country.”
“Protecting federal information technology systems from foreign adversary influence shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” said Subramanyam last week. “This bill ensures we are not spending taxpayer dollars on technology or vendors tied to foreign adversaries who could compromise our systems. It’s a commonsense step for acquisition security and reducing risk across federal agencies.”
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party reviews economic and security challenges posed by China while developing policy recommendations according to its official website: https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/. The committee also proposes legislative measures designed to enhance U.S. competitiveness against China.
Operating as a bipartisan body within the U.S. House of Representatives, the committee analyzes issues such as technology competition, supply chain resilience, and national security threats through hearings and reports (https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/). Its work includes advancing strategies intended to protect U.S. innovation and promote coordinated governmental action.
The full text of the bill is available online.