On Tuesday, Lincoln Network and representatives of eight organizations sent a letter to Chairman Bob Menedez and Ranking Member Jim Risch of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee requesting a hearing on American tech firms supporting digital authoritarianism. The letter cited recent media reports about Apple’s business practices in the People’s Republic of China and the Committee’s bipartisan interest in addressing PRC digital authoritarian and preventing forced labor.
“We are writing to respectfully request that the Committee on Foreign Relations investigate the business practices of Apple, and other American tech firms, with entrenched business dealings in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Recent reports raise serious questions about Apple’s actions to accommodate the PRC digital authoritarianism and whether Apple's supply chain includes Chinese companies that use forced labor,” the letter said.
It continued: “The Committee on Foreign Relations has a responsibility to investigate these issues and hold a hearing about Apple’s business practices in China. The Committee and its members have demonstrated significant concern about the People’s Republic of China use of digital authoritarianism and genocide against the Uighurs, including the use of forced labor.”
A copy of the coalition letter is available here. The following people cosigned the letter:
- Rachel Bovard, Policy Director, Conservative Partnership Institute
- Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
- L. Brent Bozell III, Founder and President, Media Research Center
- Center Carrie Lukas, President, Independent Women’s Forum
- Jon Schweppe, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, American Principles Project
- Mike Davis, Founder and President, Internet Accountability Project
- Garrett Bess, Vice President, Heritage Action
- Samuel Hammond, Director of Poverty and Welfare Policy, Niskanen Center
