Warnock Presses Biden Officials On The Threat Of Authoritarian Export Control On Human Rights

3 months ago

Earlier this month, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) questioned Biden officials on international export controls during a Senate Banking Committee hearing.

Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:

https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript

Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00Senator Warnock of Georgia is recognized.

00:05Thank you so very much, Chair Brown.

00:08I don't believe that giant American corporations should get richer by selling their technologies

00:14to authoritarian regimes or human rights abusers.

00:20And that's why I was glad to see the Biden-Harris administration take steps in 2021 to further

00:27center human rights in U.S. foreign policy through the Export Controls and Human Rights

00:34Initiative, an effort aimed at curbing the misuse of American technology by repressive

00:42governments and regimes whose human rights record we rightly deplore.

00:51Twenty-five nations have signed on to the initiative's code of conduct, leading to

00:56more of our allies considering human rights when reviewing their exports of technologies

01:02that can perpetuate human rights abuses.

01:09We don't want to make the trampling of human rights efficient.

01:15Ms. Kendler, can you highlight some successes from the Export Controls and Human Rights

01:21Initiative and how they contribute to efforts to combat authoritarian regimes?

01:27Senator, thank you for this question.

01:30Human rights is front and center in how we consider export controls.

01:34The ECRI, as we know it, the Export Control and Human Rights Initiative, has been very

01:40helpful in bringing together countries that share values.

01:44Even when they don't have export control systems of their own, and it's enabled a dialogue

01:50that is desperately needed for our national security and foreign policy.

01:56Just today, the Commerce Department released a proposed rule that's connected to ECRI.

02:01We're looking at foreign security end-users in countries of concern, authoritarian countries

02:08like UNO, to ensure that U.S. persons are not supporting jail operators, foreign police,

02:18and that sort of thing.

02:20That is a proposed rule.

02:21We're seeking industry comment, but it is connected to ECRI in the sense that it moves

02:27our human rights protections forward.

02:30We've also been very active at the Commerce Department in adding entities to our entity

02:35list, requiring specific licenses for companies and other organizations that may be involved

02:44in human rights abuses, contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy.

02:51So it's important in terms of the advancing of our own values and our commitment to human

02:58rights.

03:00But could you say more about why it's important that the United States of America lead in

03:07this space?

03:08My sense and core belief is that there is no replacement for American leadership in

03:16the world.

03:17It's indispensable.

03:18And can you say more about the geopolitical implications of us leading in this space?

03:27U.S. technology is the best in the world.

03:31We need to take a leadership role to ensure that it's not used in a way that is contrary

03:37to our values.

03:38And by taking that stance and working with our allies through multilateral regimes, plurilateral

03:43regimes, bilateral relationships, we can bring others into that fold.

03:49And there are many countries around the world who do share our values and who are looking

03:53at things like facial recognition systems and saying that may be appropriate in an airport

03:59context.

04:00It is not appropriate when you're surveilling minority populations in Xinjiang or Tibet.

04:05So you would say that the United States is uniquely positioned to lead in this space.

04:09And would you also say that it has national security implications for us?

04:13Yes, Senator, I would.

04:17Are additional congressional authorities necessary to expand and improve the efficacy of these

04:22initiatives?

04:24Senator, there are several ways where we could bring in technical expertise into the Bureau

04:28of Industry and Security.

04:30One thing that comes to mind is a highly qualified experts program that we are seeking authority for.

04:37We could bring in experts on a temporary basis into the Bureau of Industry and Security who

04:42know these technologies well.

04:45That's an area where we'd welcome an opportunity to obtain additional authorization and resources.

04:52We'd also look at some provisions in our regulations like remote access and the opportunity

04:59to control access to data centers and other high-end advanced technology.

05:07That's an area where expansion of our authorities under ECRA would be helpful.

05:11Well, thank you so much.

05:12There are more questions that I could ask, but maybe we can follow up later.

05:17I'm grateful that the Biden-Harris administration understands that export controls can be an

05:24effective tool to combat authoritarian regimes.

05:27This is important in this moment, especially when you look at the geopolitical situation,

05:34the effort by some to advance a kind of authoritarian approach, both internationally and I would

05:41say domestically.

05:42So thank you for your work.

05:44As surveillance technology continues to improve, we must ensure American corporations are not

05:49making money from authoritarian regimes and human rights abusers.

05:53All of us have a stake in that project.

05:56Thank you very much.

Warnock Presses Biden Officials On The Threat Of Authoritarian Export Control On Human Rights

Category

Transcript

Recommended