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[Page S3302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Huawei
Madam President, on another matter, Huawei, according to public
reports, the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget,
Russell Vought, is pushing a 2-year delay--a 2-year delay--in the
implementation of key portions of a law intended to protect U.S.
agencies and government contractors from Chinese telecom technology,
chiefly Huawei.
This is deeply concerning for two reasons. First, from a national
security standpoint, the FBI, CIA, and other members of the
intelligence community have testified that the technology from Chinese
telecom companies, such as Huawei and ZTE, present a national security
risk, potentially allowing China to build backdoors into our networks,
enabling their cyber theft and cyber espionage for which they are,
unfortunately, well known. That is why Congress banned U.S. Government
agencies and contractors from using this technology--because they are
our highest valued targets. We have been encouraging our European
allies to do the same.
Why on Earth, then, is the Acting Director of OMB, Russell Vought,
asking for a 2-year delay in these rules? We passed the law more than a
year ago. President Trump has signed it, and our agencies and
contractors have had time to make sure their technology doesn't come
from Huawei.
There is simply no reason, in my mind, for such a lengthy delay. It
would only extend a window of opportunity for what is already a dire
threat to our national security.
The second reason this news concerns me so is that it is about the
Trump administration's broader approach to China. Across many issues in
the Trump administration, it sometimes feels as though the right hand
doesn't know what the left hand is doing. A few weeks ago, the
administration issued an Executive order largely banning U.S. companies
from selling equipment to Huawei, an action I praised. But then the
Commerce Department abruptly delayed that decision by 3 months. Now we
have this additional request from OMB to soft-pedal a different set of
restrictions on Huawei.
China needs to understand that the United States is serious when it
comes to our trade relationship. We must have a consistent policy
implemented with rigor. This idea of reciprocity, of barring China's
companies from doing business here until they let our biggest companies
do business there, is an important part of our overall effort to
increase pressure on China to agree to meaningful economic reforms.
I am very troubled by the OMB's request, and I plan on strenuously
opposing the approval of the delay here in Congress.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order of
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
