Review – HR 8742 Introduced – ICTS Security Oversight

Back in June, Rep Slotkin (D,MI) introduced HR 8742, the Information and Communication Technology and Services (ICTS) National Security Review Act. The bill would codify the establishment of the current Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) within the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). It would provide specific authority to monitor and mitigate risks associated with ICTS transactions. No new funding is authorized by this legislation.

This bill is very similar to HR 8741 [subscription required], the Connected Vehicle National Security Review Act, also introduced by Slotkin. The difference is that this bill does not contain the definition and references to motor vehicles that limited the application of many of the provisions of that bill to only foreign made motor vehicles or components.

Moving Forward

Slotkin is not a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to which this bill was assigned for consideration. This means that there would not be enough influence to see this bill considered by the Committee. I expect that there would be some level of bipartisan support for this bill were it considered. I suspect that there would be sufficient support for it to be considered under the suspension of the rules process.

Commentary

It is interesting that Slotkin introduced two nearly identical bills. HR 8742. She represents Lansing, MI which is still an automotive town, and really close to Motor City. HR 8741 was crafted to specifically target Chinese made electric vehicles and Chinese components going into other cars. That would draw support both from union workers and automotive management. I would be surprised if Slotkin (or her staff) thought that that bill had a good chance of reaching the President’s desk; it was just too narrowly focused. The provisions of this bill would still allow OICTS to go after Chinese automotive imports, but it would also allow the agency to target any number of other connected Chinese products, potentially providing more sources of support for the legislation. Still, without cosponsors that are members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, this bill is not going anywhere.

 

For more information on the provisions of this bill, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/hr-8742-introduced - subscription required.