H.R. 7969: Combating Chinese Communist Party Influence Act

This bill, known as the Combating Chinese Communist Party Influence Act, aims to direct the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to evaluate and report on the influence activities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) outside the United States. The focus is on understanding how these activities affect U.S. national security and its relationships with allies.

Key Provisions

• Assessment Requirement: The DNI is required to conduct an assessment of foreign malign influence activities initiated by the CCP over a three-year period starting from January 1, 2023.
• Key Areas of Assessment: The assessment must include:
  • The specific malign influence activities carried out by the CCP in crucial regions, which impact the United States and its allies.
  • The effects of CCP influence on U.S. alliances and the perception of the U.S. among key international partners.
  • The impact of increased CCP influence activities globally, including effects on financial systems.
  • Trends related to these activities in the assessed regions.
  • Any other national security implications deemed relevant by the DNI.
• Reporting Timeline:
  • An initial report with preliminary findings must be submitted within 90 days of the bill's enactment.
  • A final report containing the thorough assessment is due within 180 days post-enactment.
• Report Format: Both the initial and final reports should be in unclassified form but may include a classified annex for sensitive information.

Definitions

The bill includes definitions for key terms such as:

• Appropriate Congressional Committees: Specific committees within both the Senate and House that will receive the reports, including the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Foreign Relations.
• Foreign Malign Influence: As defined in existing national security law, referring to actions that could undermine U.S. interests.
• Key Regions: The areas of focus for the influence assessment, which include:
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Europe

Objective

The overarching goal of this bill is to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the CCP's influence can affect the U.S. on various fronts, including political, economic, and security-related dimensions, thereby enabling the U.S. to better respond to any threats posed by such influence.

Relevant Companies

• None found