Spectator NZ

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

Thursday | December 15, 2022

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), along with Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), released statements celebrating House passage of the bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act. The bill, which now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature, would equip law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis.

“Equipping America’s law enforcement officers with resources and training to respond to all types of emergencies is critical for the safety of both the officers and the communities they serve,” said Senator Scott. “That’s why I’ve been calling for more resources for de-escalation training, as a part of my years-long efforts to pass comprehensive police funding and reform legislation. I was pleased that my colleagues in the House joined in our bipartisan push for more and better training by passing our bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act last night. I urge President Biden to sign it into law as soon as possible.”

“By giving law enforcement the tools they need to help those experiencing mental health emergencies and other crises, we can help make communities safer by building a stronger bridge between the criminal justice system and mental health care,” said Sen. Cornyn “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the House for passing this critical legislation, and I urge the President to promptly sign this bill into law.”

“I’m pleased to see the House pass the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act and send it the President’s desk,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “Every day police officers are called on to respond to complex situations involving mental and behavioral health issues.  I’m grateful for Senator Cornyn’s partnership on this bipartisan piece of legislation that will equip officers with the training and resources to handle those issues safely and appropriately.  Many Rhode Island police departments have shown real leadership in this area and I’m grateful to them for their advice and support.”

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Mont.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) also cosponsored the bill, which would empower police and the mental health professionals working with them to link individuals to mental and behavioral health services in their community. Companion legislation in the House was led by Reps. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), David Trone (D-Md.), and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio).

Background:

In June 2020, Senator Scott introduced the JUSTICE Act, legislation to improve policing in America by giving law enforcement officers the training and resources necessary needed to improve safety in our neighborhoods. In the year after the bill was blocked, homicides in U.S. cities reached near record highs. Among other things, the JUSTICE Act would have implemented the same requirements for developing de-escalation training standards that the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act addresses.

Studies estimate that as many as six to ten percent of law enforcement encounters involve persons experiencing serious mental illnesses. People in crisis account for between 25-50% of fatalities during law enforcement encounters. Training in de-escalation tactics and other techniques can reduce excessive force complaints and fatalities during law enforcement encounters, and crisis intervention teams can improve outcomes. 

The bill would build off the existing Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to create a dedicated stream of funding to local and state law enforcement agencies to train officers, and mental health professionals who work with them, in de-escalation tactics, alternatives to use of force, safely responding to mental, behavioral, and suicidal crises, and more.

The bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act would:

• Require the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to develop curricula in the training topics, or identify existing curricula, in consultation with law enforcement, mental health organizations, family advocacy organizations, and civil rights and civil liberties groups, among other stakeholders;
• Authorize $124 million in grant funding over four years for training, including scenario-based exercises and evaluative assessments; and
• Require the National Institute of Justice and the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the implementation of the program and the effect of the training, to ensure that the curricula have a tangible impact on law enforcement encounters with people in crisis, and identify possible changes that would further improve outcomes.

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Related Issues: 

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

December 15, 2022

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and U.S. Representatives Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., and Debbie Lesko, R-Arizona, today introduced bipartisan legislation to help prevent domestic abusers from using technology to stalk, harass or control survivors.

Technology-enabled abuse takes many forms, from the most basic social media platforms and phone-based apps to specialty spyware apps, demonstrating that this sort of abuse does not require huge financial resources or complex knowledge of technology. Despite the seriousness and rise of technology-enabled abuse — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic — programs providing support to victims of intimate partner violence report low levels of confidence in recognizing and addressing technology-enabled abuse.

The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act would help close this gap in support by providing new grant funding to clinics and other partnerships focused on addressing domestic violence and technology-enabled abuse, as well as supporting new training and education to equip more organizations with the specialized services needed to help more survivors.

“Survivors of domestic abuse shouldn’t have to worry about an abusive partner tracking them on social media or hacking into their email or other accounts to get information on their location or other aspects of their life. These scary practices have become all too common, and yet, there are not enough resources to help protect survivors from the misuse of technology by their abusers,” Wyden said. “Education and training, as well as support for more clinics with expertise in domestic abuse and technology, are desperately needed to get survivors the care they need.”

“The proliferation of technology has made nonphysical abuse more common and more devastating for victims, and tech-enabled abuse has only escalated during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Eshoo. “Despite the scope of tech-enabled abuse, advocates who work with domestic violence victims and survivors report low levels of confidence in being able to recognize and address tech-enabled abuse. Our legislation hits at the cross-section of domestic violence and tech by establishing two grant programs to improve services and resources for victims.”

“I am a survivor of domestic violence, so I know firsthand the devastating impact it has on survivors and the difficulties they face as a result,” said Lesko. “Unfortunately, perpetrators have utilized modern technology to further harass and abuse their victims. I am proud to work with my colleagues on this important, bipartisan bill to improve the resources and services available for survivors and help combat tech-enabled abuse.”

The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act would take two significant actions to combat technology-enabled domestic abuse:

• It would authorize a pilot project run by Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women to establish more tech-enabled abuse clinics. The grant program would provide $2 million grants for up to 15 clinics and other partnerships providing support to sexual and domestic violence victims who are experiencing technology-enabled abuse.
• It would establish an additional grant program, also under the Office on Violence Against Women, for nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to develop and implement training and educational programs and technical assistance for organizations and individuals who provide support for victims of tech-enabled abuse.

Click here for a one-page summary of the legislation.

Click here for the bill text.

The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Legal Momentum, EndTAB, New Beginnings, Clinic to End Tech Abuse, Technology-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative housed in the Sexual Violence Law Center, Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Sexual Assault Support Services (Oregon), Center for Hope and Safety (Oregon), Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force, and Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence (Oregon).

“Technology-facilitated abuse leaves survivors feeling alone, confused, and endangers them and their families,” said National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) President and CEO Deborah J. Vagins. “The National Network to End Domestic Violence is pleased to endorse The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act. We see a great need for its clinics to provide individualized assistance to survivors of technology-facilitated abuse.”

“People experiencing tech-enabled abuse often don’t know where to turn. Our clinic has helped hundreds of New Yorkers over the last few years, but survivors around the country urgently need assistance,” said Thomas E. Kadri of Clinic to End Tech Abuse. “This Act could expand access to similar support services and develop knowledge about evolving forms of tech-enabled abuse.”

“The Sexual Violence Law Center and its Technology-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative emphatically support this bill,” said Natalie Dolci, LICSW, of the Sexual Violence Law Center’s Technolgoy-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative (TECCI). “Years of direct services with survivors as well as a body of research demonstrates the need for service providers to be trained in how to provide specialized services to survivors of tech abuse. In addition to the direct services, the education component of the bill is critical. Prevention and an investment in coercive control informed design are necessary strategies to a safer future.”

“Survivors are left vulnerable every day to continued abuse simply by having a phone in their pocket. It is critical that survivors, and the advocates who serve them, have access to up-to-date information about technology, the risks to an individual survivor’s safety, and available measures to protect them,” said Jennifer Becker, Legal Director, Legal Momentum the Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund. “The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act promises to bring together tech experts with gender-based violence experts and advocates in a way that will empower survivors and reduce the power abusers find in exploiting digital technology to further their harm. This investment in preventing and addressing emerging forms of gender-based violence is a critical step forward.” 

“For too long, people who perpetrate interpersonal violence have taken advantage of new and emerging technologies to facilitate their abuse of others. When laws lag behind technology, survivors are left with few resources,” said Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County (Ore.) Executive Director Martina Shabram, PhD. “The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act addresses a critical gap in resources for survivors of technology-facilitated abuse. This Act empowers advocates to create survivor-centered, trauma-informed responses to the problem of technology-facilitated abuse. The support offered by this Act will be a lifeline for people experiencing technology-facilitated abuse and will remove barriers that prevent survivors from getting the care they need and deserve. Sexual Assault Support Services is grateful to Senator Wyden for the support he has offered to survivors of sexual violence throughout his career and for championing these causes.”

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Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) today sponsored the Afghan Adjustment Act. This legislation is also sponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

“The withdrawal from Afghanistan was a dark day in American history,” said Sen. Moran. “The rushed and chaotic evacuation from Kabul resulted in the deaths of American servicemembers and stranded thousands of our Afghan allies behind enemy lines. For two decades countless Afghans stood by our servicemembers and risked their lives and their families’ lives to support our troops in Afghanistan. Veterans of the Afghan War are now calling for Congress to provide safety and certainty for their allies and friends who assisted them in battle. We must answer that call and establish a pathway for our Afghan partners to begin a new life. This legislation will put a program in place to protect our national security while also keeping our promise to those who risked their lives for America.”

“As a constituent and Afghan veteran, I applaud Sen. Moran for endorsing the Afghan Adjustment Act,” said 1SG (ret.) Slade Deister, from Leavenworth, Kan. “I am grateful that he has listened to veterans, and this is a critical piece of legislation that supports our nation’s veterans and warfighters by ensuring that we honor our allies during America’s longest war. If Congress does not act to support its allies by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act, potential allies in future combat zones are going to be less likely to support the U.S. mission after seeing our Afghan partners abandoned.”

After U.S. troops were pulled out of Afghanistan, Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on August 15, 2021, resulting in a humanitarian and global security crisis. In the months following the collapse of Afghanistan, thousands of Americans, Afghans and foreign nationals sought refuge from the Taliban. The U.S. assisted in the evacuation of thousands of Afghans to the U.S. and other countries.

The Afghan Adjustment Act would:

1. Establish a task force to develop and implement a strategy for supporting Afghans who were left behind or outside of the United States who are eligible for SIV status and require the Department of State to respond to congressional inquiries about SIV applications;
2. Allow Afghans on humanitarian status who submit to additional vetting to apply for permanent legal status. For these Afghans, the primary options under current law to gain permanent status are through our asylum system or the burdensome SIV process;
3. Expand the SIV program to include previously omitted groups, including the Female Tactical Teams of Afghanistan, the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command, the Afghan Air Force, and the Special Mission Wing of Afghanistan.

The legislation has received the endorsement of organizations including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Veterans for Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Veterans for American Ideals, With Honor Action and the Association of Wartime Allies. 

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Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Sheldon Whitehouse

12.15.22

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statements after the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act, which would equip law enforcement officers with the tools to effectively and safely respond to people in crisis, passed the House last night on a bipartisan 264-162 vote.  The bill is now headed to the President’s desk for signature.

“I’m pleased to see the House pass the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act and send it the President’s desk,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Every day police officers are called on to respond to complex situations involving mental and behavioral health issues.  I’m grateful for Senator Cornyn’s partnership on this bipartisan piece of legislation that will equip officers with the training and resources to handle those issues safely and appropriately.  Many Rhode Island police departments have shown real leadership in this area and I’m grateful to them for their advice and support.”

“By giving law enforcement the tools they need to help those experiencing mental health emergencies and other crises, we can help make communities safer by building a stronger bridge between the criminal justice system and mental health care,” said Senator Cornyn.  “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the House for passing this critical legislation, and I urge the President to promptly sign this bill into law.”

Underfunded and overworked mental and behavioral health systems often leave police to intervene with people who urgently need mental or behavioral health care.  But many police departments lack resources to train officers on how to deal with such situations, leading to encounters that are dangerous for everyone involved.

The bill would require the Department of Justice to work with experts to develop comprehensive trainings on de-escalation tactics, alternatives to use of force, safely responding to mental, behavioral, and suicidal crises, successfully participating on a crisis intervention team, and making referrals to community-based mental and behavioral health services and support and other social programs.  The bill would also build off the existing Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to create a dedicated stream of funding for local and state law enforcement agencies to access these trainings and train their officers and the mental health professionals who work with them.

“A call to 911 is the often the first step toward treatment and recovery.  Law enforcement and first responders deserve the tools and training they need to safely and effectively de-escalate people experiencing a crisis,” said Liz Gledhill, Rhode Island statewide Crisis Intervention Team coordinator and CIT-RI project manager at Thundermist Health Center.  “Without Senator Whitehouse’s unwavering leadership, we would not have a statewide Crisis Intervention Team program in Rhode Island.  As a result of this important work, thousands of Rhode Islanders who’ve encountered police during a crisis have avoided arrest.  People living with mental illness deserve access to high quality mental health care and with this legislation law enforcement can play a critical role in making sure these folks have access to treatment.”

“Now more than ever, there is a demand for mental health treatment, crisis mitigation, and substance abuse recovery services in every community throughout the country.  We must be proactive in offering a wide variety of social services rather than respond after a tragic event or wait until a situation escalates that threatens the health and well-being of those who are affected.  Law enforcement officers are sworn to protect and serve and are often the first to interact with individuals who face mental illness, homelessness, and opioid addiction, among many societal challenges.  Increased awareness and training will allow Officers to better respond to and assist those who need our help.  We recognize that to be effective, we must leverage our partnerships with local mental health and social service providers and address challenges through collaboration and teamwork.  In the short time the Cranston Police Department Crisis Intervention Team has been in place, we have achieved great success thanks to our community outreach efforts with Gateway Mental Health and the Cranston Comprehensive Community Action Program.  We have connected many people with vital services while reducing the need for Officers to respond to repetitive calls at the same addresses,” said Colonel Michael J. Winquist, Chief of Police for the Cranston Police Department.  “I thank Senator Whitehouse for being at the forefront of recognizing the need for increased law enforcement training in responding to mental health issues, including forming Crisis Intervention Teams and creating partnerships between law enforcement and behavioral health experts.  The passage of this bipartisan legislation will have a tremendous impact on public safety.”

The bipartisan Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act would:

1. Require the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to develop curricula in the training topics, or identify existing curricula, in consultation with law enforcement, mental health organizations, family advocacy organizations, and civil rights and civil liberties groups, among other stakeholders;
2. Authorize $124 million in grant funding over four years for training, including scenario-based exercises and evaluative assessments;
3. And require the National Institute of Justice and the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the implementation of the program and the effect of the training, to ensure that the curricula have a tangible impact on law enforcement encounters with people in crisis, and identify possible changes that would further improve outcomes.

In July, Whitehouse and U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) announced $1.2 million in federal funding to support crisis intervention team (CIT) training for police departments across Rhode Island.  As part of the expansion, Thundermist Health Center, in partnership with the Rhode Island Police Chief’s Association, will equip local police departments with the tools to divert people in crisis away from the justice system and connect them with the mental and behavioral health resources they need.  Thundermist will also help create workflows for 911 and local dispatchers to ensure CIT-trained officers and, if appropriate, an embedded police clinician are sent to calls on an as-needed basis.

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jon Tester (D-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) cosponsored the Senate bill.  Companion legislation in the House was led by Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), David Trone (D-MD), and Steve Chabot (R-OH).

The bill is endorsed by the Prison Fellowship, Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Criminal Justice Association, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs’ Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD, Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, National Association of Counties, American Psychological Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, National Association of Evangelicals, American Conservative Union, Faith and Freedom Coalition, Right on Crime, Catholic Charities USA, 2020 Mom, American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, American Association on Health and Disability, American Association of Suicidology, American Counseling Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Psychiatric Association, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare (AABH), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Lakeshore Foundation, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, NAADAC the Association for Addiction Professionals, The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, National Association for Children’s Behavioral Health, National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association for Rural Mental Health, National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), National Council for Mental Wellbeing, National Eating Disorders Association, National Federation of Families, National Network of Depression Centers, National Register of Health Service Psychologists, RI International, Sandy Hook Promise, Catholic Prison Ministry Coalition, Center for Public Justice, Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Coalition, Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, Niskanen Center, Salvation Army, and Borderplex Alliance.

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Sheldon Whitehouse

12.15.22

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today joined Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) in introducing the Preserving Access to Value Based Care Act.  This bipartisan legislation ensures health care providers through Medicare continue to commit to value-based models, or Alternative Payment Models (APMs).

“Rhode Island’s accountable care organizations have been national leaders at improving patient care and lowering costs.  Medicare has earned back millions from their success,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “We need to encourage more health care innovation – not pull the rug out from under the people who are making the system work better for everyone.  There is strong bipartisan support for our proposal to allow these providers to continue delivering high-quality coordinated care.”

“As a doctor, I know how critical it is for Medicare to meet the health care needs of American seniors.  There is agreement on both sides of the aisle that Alternative Payment Models (APMs) are a key solution to help more seniors receive better care at a lower cost,” said Senator Barrasso.  “Our bipartisan legislation will ensure this incentive program continues to help provide the highest quality care for seniors across the country.”

APMs reimburse providers for the quality of care, rather than the number of services they provide.  Physicians who participate in APMs overwhelmingly agree that value-based care delivers high quality care. 

The bipartisan Preserving Access to Value Based Care Act will extend the five percent advanced APM incentive payment for providers an additional two years.  The bill also ensures that qualification thresholds remain at attainable levels for practices that participate in Medicare’s advanced APMs.  This incentive-based payment is set to expire at the end of 2022 if Congress does not extend the program.

“On behalf of the Rhode Island Medical Society, we applaud Senators Whitehouse and Barrasso for introducing the Preserving Access to Value Based Care Act.  Value Based Care is the path to a health care system that is both more effective and more cost-effective.  As practicing physicians, we know how critical these incentive payments have been to grow and develop this model of payment which has already been shown to improve care and saved millions of dollars for Medicare.  Now is not the time to revert to traditional fee-for-service payments and this bill provides a critical extension required to further develop and spread this highly effective physician payment mechanism,” said Rhode Island Medical Society President Thomas A. Bledsoe, MD, MACP.

“These critical incentives Congress created, which expire at the end of the year, have been instrumental to fuel the transition to value-based care, which provides patients and our health system with better outcomes and higher quality care.  We thank Sen. Barrasso and Sen. Whitehouse for their leadership and look forward to working with lawmakers to extend these critical incentives that help clinicians invest in their practices and expand care beyond traditional fee-for-service,” ­said Clif Gaus, Sc.D., President and CEO of the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS)

“With each passing year, it becomes more urgent to provide physicians with greater opportunities to participate in Alternative Payment Models (APMs) when they can improve quality and value for patients while reducing burdens on physicians and practices.  While it’s also important to maintain a viable fee-for-service option, the burdensome Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) contributes to physician burnout by requiring physicians to annually spend about $12,800 and more than 200 hours of staff time on compliance instead of patient care.  A robust set of APMs is crucial to alleviating this burden.  We applaud Sens. Whitehouse and Barrasso for this common-sense bill to extend the APM incentive payments for two years and permit physicians to gradually increase their degree of participation in value-based care models,” said American Medical Association President Jack Resneck Jr., M.D.

Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to prepare for a potential invasion of Taiwan, which would inflict devastating consequences on the United States. However, the U.S. has yet to formulate a clear strategy to protect our economy and inflict maximum harm on the CCP in the event of such an invasion. 
 
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced the Taiwan Protection and National Resilience Act. The bill would require the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of the Commerce, the Department of State, and other federal agencies to report to Congress on the United States’ options to both prepare for and respond to a CCP invasion of Taiwan, including opportunities to sanction the CCP and preempt Beijing’s retaliatory measures.  
 

• “The threat of a Taiwan invasion seems increasingly likely, and preparing a U.S. response should be a top priority for our defense and intelligence officials. We need to know every tool that is at our disposal in order to defend against the Chinese Communist Party and prevent U.S. vulnerabilities. We cannot turn a blind eye to this pressing geopolitical threat.” — Senator Rubio

 

• “Taiwan is a bastion of freedom and democracy, standing as a stark counterexample to Xi Jinping’s communist tyranny on the mainland. We must plan today for tomorrow’s contingencies, including the possibility that Xi Jinping would attempt an invasion of Taiwan. This bill calls for strategies to counter any such gambit and to squeeze Communist China’s ability to conduct military operations against the free people of Taiwan.” — Representative Smith

 
Background. The bill would require the DoD, in collaboration with the Intelligence Community and the Departments of Treasury, Commerce, and Homeland Security, to outline an effective sanctions strategy against the People’s Republic of China in the event of a Taiwan invasion. The strategy would also examine the effect of an invasion on the United States and identify the steps necessary to preemptively shore up potential national vulnerabilities, including by making recommendations to strengthen economic resilience. 

Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

Chinese Communist Party-controlled technology companies are a threat to American national security. The U.S. Department of Commerce rightly included Tiandy, YMTC, PXW, and others on the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Entity List.
 
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement urging the Biden Administration to do even more.

• “The Chinese Communist Party is weaponizing technology companies to further its geopolitical goals. Adding Tiandy, PXW, and YMTC to the Entity List is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, many more problematic Chinese companies remain unsanctioned. The Department of Commerce needs to be more aggressive in using all available tools to identify and punish bad actors.” — Senator Rubio 

Flashback … Rubio called on the Biden Administration to investigate YMTC in September, PXW in October, and Tiandy earlier this month.
 
Looking forward … Rubio will continue to press the Biden Administration to enforce the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR), which currently “target[s] Huawei’s acquisition of semiconductors that are the direct product of certain U.S. software and technology.” As Rubio and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) noted earlier this year, YMTC appears to be helping Huawei evade U.S. sanctions.