HR-4792 : Still Just a Bill

Countering Communist China Act

This bill addresses issues related to China, tax incentives, and other topics.

The bill imposes visa- and property-blocking sanctions on certain entities and individuals that (1) are involved in acts of malign disinformation on behalf of a foreign government or political party, or (2) have engaged in a pattern of significant infringement of intellectual property belonging to a U.S. entity or individual. It also authorizes sanctions on developers and owners of software that makes unauthorized transmissions of user data to servers that are located in China and are accessible by China's government.

The bill also

  • provides tax incentives for relocating pharmaceutical, medical supply, or medical device manufacturing to the United States, including by allowing accelerated depreciation of nonresidential real property acquired in connection with such relocation;
  • eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures scheduled to begin in 2022, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred;
  • prohibits an institution of higher education from receiving certain federal funds if the institution has a contractual partnership with an entity controlled by China's government or organized under China's laws;
  • modifies presumptions and evidentiary standards in administrative patent validity challenges;
  • bars China from asserting sovereign immunity in certain instances;
  • requires U.S. representatives to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to take certain actions, such as opposing any increase to the weight given to China's currency when determining the value of IMF Special Drawing Rights; and
  • permanently rescinds unobligated funds previously made available for certain economic relief programs related to COVID-19.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2021-09-03CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.House committee actions
2021-08-04CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia and Nonproliferation.House committee actions
2021-07-30CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.House committee actions
2021-07-30CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Health.House committee actions
2021-07-29CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Trade.House committee actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralReferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Oversight and Reform, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Intelligence (Permanent Select), Agriculture, Rules, Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology, Natural Resources, Education and Labor, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.House floor actions
2021-07-29IntroReferralIntroduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Policy Area :

International Affairs
See Subjects
  • Animal protection and human-animal relationships
  • Arms control and nonproliferation
  • Business investment and capital
  • Cardiovascular and respiratory health
  • Cell biology and embryology
  • Chemical and biological weapons
  • Civil actions and liability
  • Congressional committees
  • Congressional operations and organization
  • Congressional oversight
  • Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
  • Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation
  • Emergency medical services and trauma care
  • Employee hiring
  • Family relationships
  • Foreign aid and international relief
  • Foreign and international corporations
  • Fraud offenses and financial crimes
  • Freedom of information
  • Genetics
  • Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
  • Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
  • Government information and archives
  • Government liability
  • Government studies and investigations
  • Health promotion and preventive care
  • Health technology, devices, supplies
  • Immigration status and procedures
  • Immunology and vaccination
  • Income tax deductions
  • Industrial facilities
  • Infectious and parasitic diseases
  • Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
  • International organizations and cooperation
  • Licensing and registrations
  • Manufacturing
  • Medical research
  • Military assistance, sales, and agreements
  • Military procurement, research, weapons development
  • Political parties and affiliation
  • Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents
  • Public contracts and procurement
  • Research administration and funding
  • Research and development
  • Rule of law and government transparency
  • Sanctions
  • Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
  • Strategic materials and reserves
  • Subversive activities
  • Technology transfer and commercialization
  • Trade restrictions
  • Visas and passports
  • War and emergency powers
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  • Asia
  • China
  • Europe
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  • Middle East
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  • Russia
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  • Taiwan