S.Amdt. 5758

1. Adds SEC. 1254. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTERING THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA MALIGN INFLUENCE FUND at the end of subtitle D of title XII

   Adds a section

   In S.Amdt. 5499 as proposed

   (2) modifies or deletes in any way the content of the project as a result of any direction from any entity of the Government of the People's Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party.

   Inserted: SEC. 1254. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR COUNTERING THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA MALIGN INFLUENCE FUND.

   Inserted: (a) Countering the People's Republic of China Malign Influence Fund.--There is authorized to be appropriated $300,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 for the Countering the People's Republic of China Malign Influence Fund to counter the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party globally. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this authorization are authorized to remain available until expended and shall be in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to counter such influence.

   Inserted: (b) Consultation Required.--The obligation of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to counter the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party globally shall be subject to prior consultation with, and consistent with section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2394-1), the regular notification procedures of--

   Inserted: (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

   Inserted: (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

   Inserted: (c) Policy Guidance, Coordination, and Approval.--

   Inserted: (1) Coordinator.--The Secretary of State shall designate an existing senior official of the Department of State at the rank of Assistant Secretary or above to provide policy guidance, coordination, and approval for the obligation of funds authorized pursuant to subsection (a).

   Inserted: (2) Duties.--The senior official designated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be responsible for--

   Inserted: (A) on an annual basis, the identification of specific strategic priorities for using the funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a), such as geographic areas of focus or functional categories of programming that funds are to be concentrated within, consistent with the national interests of the United States and the purposes of this section;

   Inserted: (B) the coordination and approval of all programming conducted using the funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a), based on a determination that such programming directly counters the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party, including specific activities or policies advanced by the Chinese Communist Party, pursuant to the strategic objectives of the United States, as established in the 2017 National Security Strategy, the 2018 National Defense Strategy, and other relevant national and regional strategies as appropriate;

   Inserted: (C) ensuring that all programming approved bears a sufficiently direct nexus to such acts by the Chinese Communist Party described in subsection (d) and adheres to the requirements outlined in subsection (e); and

   Inserted: (D) conducting oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of the effectiveness of all programming conducted using the funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a) to ensure that it advances United States interests and degrades the ability of the Chinese Communist Party, to advance activities that align with subsection (d) of this section.

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   Inserted: (3) Interagency coordination.--The senior official designated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall, in coordinating and approving programming pursuant to paragraph (2), seek--

   Inserted: (A) to conduct appropriate interagency consultation; and

   Inserted: (B) to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that all approved programming functions in concert with other Federal activities to counter the malign influence and activities of the Chinese Communist Party.

   Inserted: (4) Assistant coordinator.--The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall designate a senior official at the rank of Assistant Administrator or above to assist and consult with the senior official designated pursuant to paragraph (1).

   Inserted: (d) Malign Influence.--In this section, the term "malign influence" with respect to the Chinese Communist Party shall be construed to include acts conducted by the Chinese Communist Party or entities acting on its behalf that--

   Inserted: (1) undermine a free and open international order;

   Inserted: (2) advance an alternative, repressive international order that bolsters the Chinese Communist Party's hegemonic ambitions and is characterized by coercion and dependency;

   Inserted: (3) undermine the national security or sovereignty of the United States or other countries; or

   Inserted: (4) undermine the economic security of the United States or other countries, including by promoting corruption and advancing coercive economic practices.

   Inserted: (e) Countering Malign Influence.--In this section, countering malign influence through the use of funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a) shall include efforts--

   Inserted: (1) to promote transparency and accountability, and reduce corruption, including in governance structures targeted by the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party;

   Inserted: (2) to support civil society and independent media to raise awareness of and increase transparency regarding the negative impact of activities related to the Belt and Road Initiative, associated initiatives, other economic initiatives with strategic or political purposes, and coercive economic practices;

   Inserted: (3) to counter transnational criminal networks that benefit, or benefit from, the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party;

   Inserted: (4) to encourage economic development structures that help protect against predatory lending schemes, including support for market-based alternatives in key economic sectors, such as digital economy, energy, and infrastructure;

   Inserted: (5) to counter activities that provide undue influence to the security forces of the People's Republic of China;

   Inserted: (6) to expose misinformation and disinformation of the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda, including through programs carried out by the Global Engagement Center; and

   Inserted: (7) to counter efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to legitimize or promote authoritarian ideology and governance models.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

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As printed