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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced the Entity List Verification Act to protect America’s national security by requiring the Secretary of Commerce to provide certification to Congress before removing an entity from the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. The Entity List is a tool used to restrict the export, re-export, and transfer of items to individuals, organizations and companies reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of becoming involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
 
“The Entity List is an essential tool to protect our national security and foreign policy interests,” Rubio said. “It is no secret that state-owned and directed Chinese companies like Huawei routinely steal U.S. intellectual property, seek to undermine our national security and industrial capabilities, and support a range of human rights abuses. It is critical that malign actors such as Huawei remain on the Entity List unless the administration can certify to Congress that they are no longer a threat.”
 
“Companies like Huawei are on the Entity List for a reason – they have proven to be a threat to our national security, our intellectual property and the private information of our citizens,” Scott said. “Yet the Biden Administration refuses to commit to keeping Huawei, backed by the Communist Party of China, on the list. We know Communist China and our adversaries across the globe will use every resource available to steal American technology, jobs and intellectual property in an effort to dominate the world. We have to get serious about protecting our national security, privacy, and American research and technology. I’m proud to lead my colleagues to introduce the Entity List Verification Act, which would guarantee that individuals, organizations and companies blacklisted to protect national security remain cut off until they’re deemed safe.”
 
“Companies like China’s Huawei are on the Entity List because they threaten American security and prosperity and serve the interests of hostile foreign powers,” Cotton said. “We can’t afford to sell the Chinese Communists the rope they’ll use to hang us—our bill ensures that Congress has the additional oversight needed to stop that from happening.”
 
The Entity List Verification Act would:

• Prevent the Secretary of Commerce from removing an entity from the Entity List maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security, unless the Secretary certifies to Congress:
• The entity is no longer involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
• Removing the entity from the Entity List does not pose a threat to the allies of the United States.