The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a $716 billion defense authorization bill that aims to rein in China's investments in the United States and prohibits the U.S. government from using technology from major Chinese telecommunications firms.
The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act, which must also be approved by the Senate, passed the House by a vote of 359-54. While the measure puts controls on U.S. government contracts with ZTE Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. because of national security concerns, the restrictions are far weaker than initially drafted.
Additionally, in an action largely targeted at China, it also strengthens the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews proposed foreign investments to weigh whether they present national security concerns.