House GOP Members' Bill Would Bar US Intel-Sharing With Countries Using Huawei

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., filed House companion legislation Tuesday to a bill (S-3153) from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., targeting Huawei (see 2001080002). The bill would bar the U.S. from sharing intelligence “with any country that permits operation within its national borders” of Huawei-produced 5G equipment. “Huawei is a Trojan Horse for the Chinese Communist Party to spy on and infiltrate other nations,” Banks said. “Our allies must choose: Adopt Huawei and lose access to U.S. intelligence, or remain our trusted partner.” The U.S. is trying to convince the U.K. government not to allow Huawei equipment on the country’s 5G infrastructure. House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a co-sponsor of Banks’ bill, said that “allowing Huawei into the U.K.’s 5G networks would pose a national security threat that could not be mitigated or contained. Such a decision would necessarily have negative consequences for the U.S./U.K. relationship in many areas, including trade and intelligence cooperation.”