The chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has thrown his support behind the passage of a bill that would bar companies working with adversarial nations from doing business with the U.S. government.
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., cosponsored the Time to Choose Act, which aims to prevent U.S. enemies such as Russia and China from potentially procuring access to sensitive information.
In a statement, Peters said the legislation would guarantee that tax dollars are spent on federal contracts that do not undermine the United States.
“Our bill will ensure contracting firms are using taxpayer funds responsibly and help prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting business relationships with contractors to interfere with American interests.”
It will also ensure that consulting firms working with the U.S. government remain unbiased, especially when advising on critical economic and national security programs.
U.S. lawmakers have been concerned about the potential conflict of interest in federal contracting in recent months amid rising conflicts with China and Russia.
In February, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called on consulting firm McKinsey & Company to submit comprehensive documentation on its dealings with the Chinese government.
The move follows a Financial Times report on McKinsey’s alleged involvement in the think tank Urban China Initiative, which authored a book commissioned by a Chinese government agency.
In response, McKinsey denied that it is behind UCI and said it has never worked with the central government of China.