WASHINGTON \u2014 Teeing up a bipartisan rebuke of the U.S. president, the Senate\u2019s must-pass defense policy bill will include legislation to maintain penalties against Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE, lawmakers announced Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe fact that a bipartisan group of senators came together this quickly is a testament to how bad the Trump administration\u2019s ZTE deal is and how we will not shy away from holding the president\u2019s feet to the fire when it comes to keeping his promise to be tough on China,\u201d Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An amendment that would keep prior penalties in place against ZTE is expected to be part of the Senate\u2019s version of the National Defense Authorization Act, which is expected to pass the upper chamber this week. It was included in a \u201cmanager\u2019s package\u201d of 44 bipartisan amendments to the bill, which reflects approval from Democratic and Republican leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The action comes after U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced earlier in the week that ZTE would pay a fine of $1 billion and the U.S. would end a ban preventing the firm from buying American parts. The deal was in place after the U.S. found that ZTE evaded sanctions on Iran and North Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, the amendment would ban U.S. government agencies from purchasing or leasing telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE, and it would ban the U.S. government from using grants and loans to subsidize Huawei or ZTE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe threat Huawei and ZTE pose to our national security is too great to ignore. This amendment will help keep Americans\u2019 private information out of the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, and I\u2019m pleased it will be included in the NDAA,\u201d said Sen. Tom Cotton, who co-sponsored the amendment with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. Cotton chairs the Senate AirLand Subcommittee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The manager\u2019s package and massive NDAA are likely to pass the Senate, but the language would still have to survive bicameral negotiations to reconcile the bill with its House counterpart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senate debate on the NDAA was expected to continue Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n