Embassy Construction Integrity Act of 2023

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6306. Over the past 3 years, our country has made critical headway in expanding the United States' diplomatic footprint, including opening new, strategically located facilities in the Indo-Pacific region. Our Nation has always been at its best when we engage intensely in diplomatic efforts to defend and advance both interests and ideals around the world, and that is why it is so critical that we equip our diplomats with the resources they need.

As part of this work, the State Department works regularly to open, renew, or modernize its facilities around the world so that U.S. diplomats can effectively advance our interests around the world. I am proud

that this work has included reestablishing our embassy operations in Kyiv to stand with Ukraine after Russia's unprovoked, full-scale invasion in 2022.

When we raise the U.S. flag on a new or updated diplomatic facility abroad, it is a powerful signal of our commitment to democracy and peaceful, productive engagement between nations.

In maintaining its facilities around the world, the State Department mitigates security and counterintelligence risks through tailored, site-specific measures that address the particular challenges of a specific locale. The Department has deep expertise in this area, informed by decades of experience to harden our security posture, counter our adversaries, and open our doors to those who wish to learn about and engage with the United States.

Congress has played a role in developing this expertise, too, as evidenced in bipartisan reforms to the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act that we passed into law last Congress. We must continue to ensure the State Department has the flexibility to balance bold, expeditionary diplomacy, while mitigating operational risks.

With this bill before us today, the House Foreign Affairs Committee worked in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the Department has the needed flexibility to advance the Department's ongoing efforts to maintain and open new facilities, even as we seek to minimize risks in embassy construction or maintenance that our competitors could exploit.

I am pleased to support this measure, and I invite my colleagues to do the same. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure.

In closing, the State Department's efforts to expand our diplomatic footprint and enhance its existing facilities worldwide showcase America's dedication to effective diplomacy and international cooperation.

The operational security and effectiveness of these facilities is paramount, and the State Department has demonstrable success in building facilities tailored to mitigate country-specific risks. Our congressional reforms have supported this mission, providing the necessary framework for safe and dynamic diplomacy while ensuring that State has the flexibility it needs to build and maintain its facilities around the world.

I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting H.R. 6306, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Embassy Construction Integrity Act is very simple: America's adversaries must not be involved in building our diplomatic and consular posts.

This, in my opinion, is a commonsense bill, or at least it should be. Last year, Congress was made aware that a Chinese state-owned enterprise was involved in the construction of a post in south Asia.

Despite all of the bureaucratic red tape the State Department goes through to establish these posts, somehow checking whether the Chinese Government controls the companies constructing the building didn't quite make the list.

The Chinese Government has established a pattern of leveraging its state-owned enterprise to serve dual functions during and after construction to spy on sensitive facilities.

Chinese-owned companies built the African Union headquarters. Like many things, they can't just build something, they have to build it with Chinese characteristics. In this case, those Chinese characteristics were spyware that was utilized to quietly siphon enormous amounts of data every night for the Chinese Government.

According to a study by Joshua Meservey, an expert in African geopolitics, Chinese companies have built nearly 200 government facilities in Africa, a number that is sure to have only increased since the study was published.

I am not telling other countries who they can or cannot employ to construct their buildings. My bill is simple, however, that when our adversaries show us how they operate, that we should believe them and take steps to mitigate those risks.

Specifically, this bill requires the State Department, before establishing a new diplomatic or consular post, to identify the beneficial owners of the companies involved in the construction and maintenance of those buildings.

Further, this bill prohibits the State Department from entering into contracts or agreements if the beneficial owners of the companies are affiliated with the Chinese Government.

Finally, if inconsistent actions are discovered, the Secretary of State would be required to report it to Congress within 7 days.

Briefly, it is important to address the fact that it would be impossible for the State Department to operate in China if they weren't allowed to contract with some of these companies. The bill is carefully crafted to avoid stifling the important work of the State Department in China or the limited other locations where inconsistent measures may be the only option. However, even in these cases, Congress should be notified so that we do our job and have proper oversight for all of these activities.

Aside from those extraordinarily limited circumstances, the State Department must conduct greater due diligence to secure the integrity of our embassies and other consular posts around the world.

I express my sincere gratitude to Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, my bipartisan colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee who unanimously voted in favor of this bill during its markup, and each of their staffs who worked with me to secure it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 6306.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6306) to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to prohibit the acquisition or lease of a consular or diplomatic post built or owned by an entity beneficially owned by the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mills), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I again thank Congressman Mills for his leadership in fixing this national security vulnerability. I also thank Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, and our Committee on Foreign Affairs colleagues for bringing this critical, bipartisan bill to the floor.

This legislation will ensure that our diplomatic buildings overseas do not fall victim to the active, ongoing surveillance and espionage efforts of the Chinese Communist Party.

Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous support for H.R. 6306, and I yield back the balance of my time.