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Britt: China ‘greatest geopolitical rival and … threat’

Sen. Katie Britt recently joined a group of fellow lawmakers to introduce four pieces of legislation that would, according to Britt’s office, “hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable and stand up for hardworking Americans.”

The first piece of legislation Britt signed onto was a bipartisan resolution that condemned the People’s Republic of China for the use of the high-altitude, Chinese surveillance balloon that went across the US. The resolution passed the Senate with unanimous consent.

Britt (R-Montgomery) spoke about the spy balloon and the growing threat from China.

“The spy balloon was only the latest, most visible instance in an ongoing trend of aggressive behavior by the Chinese Communist Party,” she said. “There is no doubt that the CCP is our greatest geopolitical rival and national security threat, and everything they do is as our adversary. The FBI has said that they open a counterintelligence against China about twice per day.”

The Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act was the next piece of legislation Britt helped to produce. She is co-sponsoring the bill which was introduced by fellow Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville. The FARM Act would seek to cut the increasing rate of ownership of US farmland and agricultural companies by the CCP.

According to a 2021 report from the USDA, foreign investors own around 40 million acres of agricultural land within the US. That figure has increased by 2.2 million acres each year since 2015.

Britt also cosponsored the Cutting-off Communist Profiteers Act (CCP) Act. This bill would make it illegal for any former US presidential employee to knowingly represent, aid, or advise the CCP or any Chinese military companies.

The last piece of legislation that Britt signed onto was another that she co-sponsored. The Protecting America from Spies Act is intended to target CCP spies that are committing espionage against American technology firms and businesses.

Britt says that she will continue to advocate for the state and for stronger measures against China.

“I’ll continue to fight to put hardworking Alabamians first, while protecting our homeland,” she said.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.

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