Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Trump Signs Defense Bill With Watered-Down ZTE Sanctions (cnet.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the violation-of-trade-laws dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: President Donald Trump on Monday signed a $716 billion defense policy bill that weakened efforts to punish Chinese telecom giant ZTE for violating trade laws. The bill, named for ailing Arizona Sen. John McCain, prohibits the U.S. government and its contractors from buying certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from ZTE, Huawei and a handful of other Chinese communications companies. The ban covers components and services deemed "essential" or "critical" to any government system. Some lawmakers had hoped to use the bill to reinstate tough penalties against ZTE, but the compromise bill removed a provision that would undo a deal the Commerce Department struck in June for ZTE to pay a $1 billion penalty to resume business with U.S. suppliers. But lawmakers agreed to abandon that effort in late July. Huawei called the inclusion of its products in the bill "ineffective, misguided and unconstitutional." They added: "It does nothing to identify real security risks or improve supply chain security, and will only serve to stifle innovation while increasing internet costs for U.S. consumers and businesses. We believe that the American people deserve equal access to the best possible connections and smart device options, and will keep working to make this happen."

6 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. also by dehachel12 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    president trump signs a ridiculously large DOD budget.

  2. $717 billion by 110010001000 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Congress approved $1.56 billion for three littoral combat ships, even though the Navy only requested one."

    Classic. That is when I hear the word "Conservative" or "Progressive" in relation to politics, I always laugh.

  3. Borrowing the entire defense budget by sjbe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    President Donald Trump on Monday signed a $716 billion defense policy bill

    For perspective please note that the defecit in 2017 was $665 billion. So for all practical purpose we are borrowing the entire defense budget and in the process spending more money than China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, France, the UK, and Japan COMBINED. Call me crazy but I'm pretty sure we could put a good chunk of that money to better use.

    1. Re:Borrowing the entire defense budget by argStyopa · · Score: 1, Insightful

      We're borrowing the entire defense budget? That's terrible. We need to cut spending.

      https://www.politifact.com/tru...

      Considering defense is barely 16% of Fed spending, and social programs (SS, medicare, etc) is around 57%, I think I know where we should really start cutting.

      --
      -Styopa
    2. Re: Borrowing the entire defense budget by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      They could also spend the money on schools, public transportation, roads, environmental cleanup, research, the like.

      All of those would help, rather than exploit the poor. So that's a nope.

  4. We can't implicate Dianne Feinstein! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    OMG! We can't make a big deal of the Democrat who headed the Senate Intelligence Committee having employed a Chinese spy for twenty fucking years!

    That'd make Democrats look bad.

    I mean hell, the FBI actually WARNED Feinstein instead of sending their own spies, errr, informants at her! She must be PROTECTED!!!

    Making a big deal out of Chinese espionage would implicate a DEMOCRAT leader and draw attention from Russia! Russia! Russia!!!!!