Cruz on CCP bill: This legislation will ensure Congress and the president have a clear picture of what our adversaries are doing in the U.S.,

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his colleague Rick Scott (R-FL) have proposed a bill aimed at countering espionage activities by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The legislation, titled the Countering Corrupt Political Influence Act (CCP Influence Act), calls for more rigorous reporting requirements from diplomats representing American adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Cruz expressed concern over the CCP's extensive approach to advancing its national security interests. He said, "The Chinese Communist Party takes a whole of government and indeed often whole of nation approach to advancing its national security interests, including through global influence and espionage operations conducted from within diplomatic facilities." He further noted that "Other American adversaries utilize the same tactics and strategies," adding that "This legislation will ensure Congress and the president have a clear picture of what our adversaries are doing in the U.S."

According to an official press release, the proposed measure necessitates a monthly report of notification logs from the State Department to be sent to the President, Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The bill also includes U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) as co-sponsors.

In a statement reported by the Washington Examiner, Scott criticized how U.S. adversaries operate with insufficient transparency on American soil. He stated: "As individuals and entities tied to the evil government of Communist China continue to buy American farmland, infiltrate our universities, and attempt to persuade decisions of local and state governments, we must take action to protect U.S. interests."

Cornyn echoed these sentiments in comments reported by the Examiner: "To effectively counter growing threats from the CCP, we must know how, when, and with whom Chinese diplomats engage on American soil," he said. "This legislation would require adversaries like China to disclose their diplomatic activity to the State Department, and I’m glad to support it."