More Economic And National Security Officials Speak Out Against Harmful Anti-Tech Bills
A group of former U.S. economic and national security officials sent a letter to Republican congressional leaders expressing strong concerns about proposed anti-tech legislation — specifically, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) and the Open App Markets Act — that could weaken America’s national security. Signatories include Larry Kudlow, former Director of the National Economic Council, as well as former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, and former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller.
Their letter is just the latest in a number of statements and letters from national security experts raising questions about the harmful unintended consequences of this legislation.
Excerpt from the letter:
Former national security and economic leaders warn that this bill would have “dangerous consequences for the United States and our allies[.]” “[B]ills like the Open App Markets Act and the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA), including the revised version that Senator Klobuchar has just released – if enacted, will place U.S. companies at a structural disadvantage vis-à-vis China, leaving our tech industry weakened and vulnerable to the [Chinese Communist Party].”
— They note that the revised version of AICOA “does not ameliorate our concerns.”
— If the bills are enacted: “China would quickly surpass and displace us in the tech sector, which will have very dangerous consequences for the United States and our allies and partners around the world. We cannot afford to cede this important ground to Beijing. We all support and welcome robust competition in the marketplace. But government mandates that open our tech platforms to foreign rivals without sufficient safeguards will lead to more malign activity by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea not to mention cyber mercenaries or non-state criminal actors.”
Read the full letter here.
Former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien joined co-signator, and current host of “Kudlow” on Fox Business Network, Larry Kudlow to discuss the letter and how AICOA would cede ground to China: