National Security

In today’s “Dangerous Partners: Big Tech & Beijing” hearing, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, announced he would introduce legislation to ban all federal employees from the use of TikTok on government devices. Senator Hawley said, “TikTok is owned by a Chinese company that includes Chinese Communist Party members in leadership, and it is requires by Chinese law to share user data with Beijing. TikTok has admitted that it has sent user data to China. To put it bluntly, this is a major security risk for the American people. . . This legislation is a necessary step to protect the security of the United States and the data security of every American.”

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will hold a hearing next Wednesday as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee, titled “Dangerous Partners: Big Tech & Beijing.” Members of law enforcement have agreed to testify, but TikTok and Apple have once again declined Senator Hawley’s invitation – just as they did in November. “This is a troubling pattern of secrecy from Apple and TikTok,” said Senator Hawley. “Doing business with Beijing poses great security risks, especially when it comes to Americans’ personal data. If these companies have nothing to hide, they need to quit stalling and testify before Congress.”

Hawley: “Pleased Mizzou is shutting down the #China Communist Party funded “Confucius Institute.” As the State Department warned Mizzou in July 2019, and as I have repeatedly stated, this program presented security risks for students & university as a whole”

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) along with Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) today introduced the Significant Transnational Criminal Organization Designation Act, legislation that would subject certain foreign criminal organizations like drug cartels to sanctions, including immigration, financial, and criminal penalties. The process...

“This $1.7 billion investment by the NGA will create thousands of good-paying jobs in St. Louis. The geospatial intelligence professionals at NGA West help us understand the physical world in a way that enhances our national security and strengthens our response to threats at home and around the world. This work is of the utmost importance to our nation and will continue to happen right here in St. Louis for years to come.”

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) joined a bipartisan letter to President Trump, expressing deep concern that the U.S. Department of Commerce has begun issuing export licenses to U.S. firms to resume business with Huawei Technologies—despite the significant threats these license approvals could pose to our national security. Leader Schumer and Senator Cotton write that approving these licenses, and others, will allow Huawei to fully resume its engagement with certain U.S. firms without an adequate...

Following passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) released the following statement: “Today’s vote sends a clear message that the United States will continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong as they battle Beijing’s imperialism. The Chinese Communist Party’s quest for power across the region is a direct threat to America’s security and prosperity.”

“Current law makes it far too easy for hostile foreign governments like China to access Americans’ sensitive data. Chinese companies with vast amounts of personal data on Americans are required by Chinese law to provide that data to Chinese intelligence services. If your child uses TikTok, there’s a chance the Chinese Communist Party knows where they are, what they look like, what their voices sound like, and what they’re watching. That’s a feature TikTok doesn’t advertise.”

FBI Director Wray told Senator Hawley American companies storing data in China “is something we’re concerned about in part because. . . Chinese law essentially compels Chinese companies and typically compels U.S. companies that are operating in China to have relationships with different kinds of Chinese companies to provide whatever information the government wants whenever it wants.”

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Chairman of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, announced the following witnesses for the hearing entitled “How Corporations and Big Tech Leave Our Data Exposed to Criminals, China, and Other Bad Actors.” The hearing will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, November 5 at 2:30 p.m. ET in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.