Chairman Green, Homeland Republicans Applaud House Passage of Bills Combating CCP’s Malign Influence, Fentanyl Smuggling

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed three bills that were advanced by the Committee. These bills are critical to ensuring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is prepared to counter the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) malign influence in the homeland and the destructive activity of the criminal cartels at our vulnerable Southwest border. The legislation includes H.R. 8631, the "Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act;" H.R. 8663, the "DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024;" and H.R. 7404, the "Subterranean Border Defense Act":

"The House took decisive steps today to combat the ever-growing malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party in our homeland, and I'm proud of our Committee's leadership in getting these bills across the finish line. I applaud the passage of Chairman Gimenez's bill to prevent DHS from relying on batteries made by companies in the pocket of the CCP and to protect our critical supply chains from China's dominance.

"The House of Representatives also passed two more Committee bills to combat Communist China's deadly fentanyl supply chain across our Southwest border, which Beijing accomplishes with the help of criminal cartels. I'm proud of Congressmen LaLota and Crane's leadership introducing bills to improve fentanyl interdiction and DHS' mission to counter the insidious tunnels cartels often use to smuggle this poisonous drug--both commonsense pieces of legislation to close DHS capability gaps and help save lives amid this historic border crisis. I urge the Senate to take up and pass these measures without delay to combat the influence of our greatest geopolitical adversary."

On the "Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act," Subcommittee Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) said:

"The United States must decouple from Communist China in all facets of our lives. The Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from procuring batteries from companies with ties to the People's Republic of China. With this bill we reaffirm our commitment to decoupling ourselves from Communist China by calling on our own domestic industries to produce critically important materials. We were already late to recognize the PRC's battery threat, and we cannot afford to do it again. We must proactively stay ahead and address these threats that undermine the U.S. supply chain and leave our national security at risk."

On the "Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act," House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) said:

"I am proud to have worked alongside Select Committee Member Carlos Gimenez and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green in passing the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act. Our government should never buy batteries sourced from companies beholden to the CCP. We cannot be dependent on our foremost adversary, and we must ensure the CCP can never profit from its genocide and human rights abuses."

On the "DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024," Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) said:

"The House has just passed the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act, a vital step toward addressing the deadly opioid crisis sweeping our nation. This bipartisan legislation will empower law enforcement with cutting-edge technology to detect and stop the flow of lethal substances like fentanyl and xylazine before they reach our streets. With over 107,000 overdose deaths last year alone, this bill is a critical measure in saving lives and protecting communities across America. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues in the House for recognizing the urgency of this crisis and swiftly passing this critical legislation and I urge the Senate to do the same."

On the "Subterranean Border Defense Act," Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) said:

"Passage of this bill is a massive win for our security. The Biden-Harris Administration has eagerly dismantled our border, leaving Americans inexcusably vulnerable. This legislation would help forge a desperately needed layer of defense by ensuring that Congress has the necessary data to address the deadly threat of cross-border tunnels. I'm grateful to Chairman Green for his support of my bill and for his distinguished leadership of the Homeland Security Committee."

Background:

• H.R. 8631, the "Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act," introduced by Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL).
  • This legislation prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from procuring batteries from six major companies owned and operated in the People's Republic of China (PRC), including Contemporary Amperex Technology Company, Ltd. (CATL) and Gotion High Tech.
• H.R. 8663, the "DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024," introduced by Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY).
  • This legislation will provide DHS' Science and Technology Directorate with the authority to do research, development, testing, evaluation, and cost benefit analysis to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of drug detection equipment and reference libraries used by Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.
• H.R. 7404, the "Subterranean Border Defense Act," introduced by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ).
  • This legislation would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to report annually to Congress on the implementation of their strategic plan to identify and remediate illegal cross-border tunnels into the United States.

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