June 1, 2020
Washington, DC
Like all totalitarian governments, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can survive only by the suppression of truth and free speech. To that end, the CCP exerts tight control over the flow of information on the Internet in China through the use Internet firewalls. As the U.S. seeks to challenge Chinese dominance, breaking through these firewalls will be of critical importance.
China’s firewall is extensive and sophisticated, blocking not only website content, but engaging in monitoring individuals’ Internet access and web history. China also uses its Internet to spread lies, and to engage in ideological warfare and oppressive censorship. China has weaponized its Internet into a system of mass surveillance, effectively turning it into a repressive information and mind control system.
As the U.S. coalesces around a more robust response to China, confronting their Internet firewall must place a key role. The Secretary of State should use his authority, granted to him by Congress in Sec. 7050 of the State Department’s appropriations act, to partner with the private sector to develop technologies and initiatives aimed at cracking China’s firewall.
The U.S. should also seek to leverage our trade relationship with China to require a freer and more transparent Internet.
China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” has made clear China’s ambitions for control of its people, as well as its intent to undermine the existing liberal international order. We call on Secretary Pompeo to immediately initiate a high priority initiative to rapidly shatter closed society firewalls. We share the view of the late Sen. Tom Coburn that there is “no action the president or Congress can take that can more powerfully, or in a more peaceful fashion, advance global freedom and American national interests.”
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Attorney General President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988) |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman, Conservative Action Project Chairman, Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund |
| Herman Pirchner, Jr. Founding President American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC) |
Myron Ebell Director, Center for Energy and Environment Competitive Enterprise Institute |
| The Honorable Morton C. Blackwell President The Leadership Institute |
The Honorable Colin A. Hanna President Let Freedom Ring, Inc. |
| L. Brent Bozell, III Founder and President Media Research Center |
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
| The Honorable Jim DeMint Chairman, Conservative Partnership Institute Member, US Senate (SC 2005-2013) |
Ed Corrigan Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project President, Conservative Partnership Institute |
| Rachel Bovard Senior Director of Policy Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) |
Jenny Beth Martin Chairman Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund |
| Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq. Chairman, CNP Action, Inc. President and CEO, First Liberty Institute |
Mary Vought Executive Director Senate Conservatives Fund |
| William L. Walton President Council for National Policy |
Ginni Thomas President Liberty Consulting, Inc. |
| The Honorable Becky Norton Dunlop White House Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1981-1985) |
Cleta Mitchell, Esq. Partner Foley & Lardner LLP |
| The Honorable Donald Paul Hodel U.S. Secretary of Energy (1982-1985) U.S. Secretary of Interior (1985-1989) |
The Honorable Tony Perkins President Family Research Council |
| The Honorable David McIntosh U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Indiana |
The Honorable Bob McEwen U.S. House of Representatives Former Member, Ohio |
| The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988) |
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
| Dr. Mark A. Smith President Columbia International University |
The Honorable Peter Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
| Ron Robinson President Young America’s Foundation |
Dr. Richard Rounsavelle Trustee Media Research Center |
| The Honorable James C. Miller III Budget Director for President Reagan, 1985-1988 |
The Honorable Charles J. Cooper Assistant Attorney General, President Ronald Reagan Cooper & Kirk, PLLC |
| Justin Danhof General Counsel National Center for Public Policy Research |
Tim LeFever Chairman Capitol Resource Institute |
| The Honorable Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
Floyd Brown Publisher The Western Journal |
| Charlie Copeland President Intercollegiate Studies Institute |
E.W. Jackson Sr. President STAND Foundation Inc. |
| Rod D. Martin Founder & CEO The Martin Organization, Inc. |
Sherri R. Martin Executive Vice President The Martin Organization, Inc. |
| Haley E. Martin President The Martin Foundation |
Christina Murphy Lusk Campaign for the American Future |
| Guillermo J. Aragon Chief Financial Officer Martin Imaging, Inc. |
Benjamin Nieuwsma Founder and CEO Navigo |
| Shawn A. Mitchell Former National Chaplain National Federation of Republican Assemblies |
Eunie Smith President Eagle Forum |
| Lewis K. Uhler Founder and President National Tax Limitation Committee |
Chad Connelly President Faith Wins |
| Paavo Ensio Chairman Universal Minerals Group |
Richard Wright Owner R & S LLC |
| Matthew Tyrmand Principal Matthew Tyrmand LLC |
Ron Pearson Executive Director Conservative Victory Fund |
| Rebecca Hagelin CEO United in Purpose |
Allen Hebert Chairman American-Chinese Fellowship of Houston |
| Daniel Perrin Founder HSA Coalition |
Robert Keith Fischer Meeting Coordinator Conservatives of Faith |
| Marc Little Chair Center for Urban Renewal and Education |
Lori Roman President American Constitutional Rights Union |
| The Honorable Mike Hill Representative Florida State House |
The Honorable Diana Denman President The Reagan Legacy Forum |
| William Shaker CEO Washington Marketing Group |
Glenn P. Story Co-Founder & President Patriot Mobile |
| Robert D. Thompson Former Administrator The Weyrich Lunch (1999-2016) |
Joseph A. Morris Partner at Morris & De La Rosa Former Assistant U.S. Attorney General (Reagan) |
| Jay Mount President MDS Communications Corporation |
Elaine Donnelly President Center for Military Readiness |
| Richard Manning President Americans for Limited Government |
Joan Holt Lindsey President Lindsey Communications |
| Kent Glesener President Paradigm Construction & Engineering Inc |
Kevin Freeman Founder NSIC Institute |
| Malcolm Morris | Bob Carlstrom President AMAC Action |
| Lee Beaman CEO Beaman Automotive Group |
Eaton Hopkins President Liberty Surgical, Inc. |
| Dr. Seymour Fein Managing Partner CNF Pharma, LLC |
Gerard Kassar State Chairman NYS Conservative Party |
| Kay R. Daly President Coalition for a Fair Judiciary |
Steve Berger Pastor Grace Chapel |
| James L. Martin Founder/Chairman 60 Plus Association |
Saulius Anuzis President 60 Plus Association |
| The Honorable Penny Pullen Former Illinois State Legislator Illinois General Assembly |
Randy M. Long Founder Long Business Advisors, LLC |
| Dr. Paige Patterson President Sandy Creek Foundation |
Mario Navarro da Costa Director, Washington Bureau Tradition, Family, Property |
| Roxanne Phillips Member, Executive Committee Council for National Policy |
Amapola Hansberger President Legal Immigrants for America |
| Ambassador Henry F. Cooper President Reagan’s Defense and Space Negotiator Former SDI Director |
Jeremy Cerone Chairman, William F. Buckley Jr. Council Council for National Policy |
| Kathleen Patten President & CEO American Target Advertising |
Melissa Kaye Ortiz Blogger/Administrator DCBelleonWheels.com |
| Debbie Georgatos Host, America Can We Talk CWT Publications, LLC |
Steven Ertelt Editor LifeNews.com |
| Gregory Quinlan Founder & President Center for Garden State Families |
Michael Horowitz CEO 21st Century Initiatives |
| The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr. Managing Editor ConservativeHQ.com |
Dr. Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. Founder and CEO CorsiNation.com |
| Andresen Blom President Hawaiian Values |
Sean Noble President American Encore |
| J. Christian Adams President Public Interest Legal Foundation |
Paul Gessing President Rio Grande Foundation |
| Eli Lehrer President The R Street Institute |
C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
| Barry Meguiar President Ignite America |
Caroline Lewis Owner Percipio Communications |
| Rob Chambers Vice President AFA Action |
Sandy Rios Director of Governmental Affairs AFA |
| Charlie Gerow Vice Chairman American Conservative Union |
Tim Wildmon President American Family Association |
| Jake Hoffman President & CEO Rally Forge |
Tom DeWeese President American Policy Center |
| Seton Motley President Less Government |
Mario H. Lopez President Hispanic Leadership Fund |
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