A spokesman for Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Committee Republican, said he opposed the “Eagle Act”, which the committee will consider Wednesday. The desire for a tougher line with China is one of the few bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US Congress, controlled by President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats.
However, the two sides do not agree on how best to deal with China. For example, Republicans object to the terms of the Eagle Act that would provide funding for climate action. But Republicans also said they feel the Eagle Act calls for more studies to control technology exports and access to some kind of sensitive personal data, such as Americans’ health information. There will be a missed opportunity to take meaningful action such as organizing.
“It’s largely just a messaging bill,” a Republican aide said.
The Eagle Act was introduced in May by Democratic Foreign Affairs Chairman Gregory Meeks.
The Senate on June 8 passed by a strong bipartisan 68-32 majority its own sweeping China bill, the “U.S. Innovation and Competition Act,” or USICA, which authorizes about $190 billion for provisions to strengthen U.S. technology and research, and approved $54 billion to increase U.S. production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment.
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