-
(starting with Section 3)Gives the Secretary of Commerce the ability to call anything on the internet(hardware or software) a “Undue risk” of [broad spectrum of poorly defined “Crimes”](essentially whatever the secretary wants) and slap up to 20 years prison and a 1 million dollar fine for anyone using it. I must remind our folks that the secretary of commerce is an unelected position that is picked by the president and set for life unless impeached.
-
(Section 4) (subsection a) “The Secretary shall identify and refer to the President any covered holding that the Secretary determines, in consultation with the relevant executive department and agency heads, poses an undue or unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons….”
-
(Subsection c.1) ” …with respect to any covered holding referred to the President under subsection (a), if the President determines that the covered holding poses an undue or unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons, the President may take such action as the President considers appropriate to compel divestment of, or otherwise mitigate the risk associated with, such covered holding to the full extent the 8 covered holding is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States… “.
-
Do I even need to spell out why this is Bad? This isn’t even restricted to “foreign investment”, just and “Covered holdings”(see Section 2, subsection 3.B for definiton. it basically means “However the secretary of commerce defines it”).
-
-
(Section 8 Sub-section d) Allows Lobbyists and special interest groups to be added to any committees the secretary appoints that determine what websites to ban. Let that sink in. For a hyperbolic example: Apple and Microsoft could hire a shit ton of lobbyists to be added to the committee determining whether Linux should be removed.
-
(Section 11.a.2.2.F) BANS VPNS. Any action that could be construed as ” action with intent to evade the provisions of this Act”. This is so vague that even that it essentially bans all cybersecurity encryptions including VPNs, Onion Routing, Fucking SSL, and even having a Password because any of those can be spun as trying to avoid investigation under the bill.
-
(Section 12 sub-section b) Removes any action the secretary and associated committees have taken under this bill from being subject to the Freedom of Information Act. This means the secretary of commerce and his cronies can make any government document immune to FOIA by declaring it part of an “ongoing investigation”.
-
(Section 15 sub-section d) for those that don’t know ex parte means “used for one party to ask the Court for an order without providing the other party(ies) the usual amount of notice or opportunity to write an opposition.”. This, under the right circumstances, gives the prosecutor the right to submit information on a case without allowing the defendant time to make a defense. It also might imply the right to deny judicial review, but I’m probably wrong there(I hope).
All that and more.
Here’s the bill for public viewing: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/686/text
or here for no reason: https://docs.reclaimthenet.org/BILLS-118s686is.pdf
Or if you’re lazy, here’s the leader of the Right to repair movement tearing it a new one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xudlYSLFls8
This thing needs to die. Unfortunately, it’s supported by All Political Parties in Office and is currently Backed by the White House.
Every American ape needs to Call/Text/Email/Snail-Mail/Sext/Telegraph their senators and representative…
Otherwise who do you think the Secretary of Commerce is going to be looking at post MOASS?
Find them here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
And text them this way: https://resist.bot/ I.E.>Text RESIST to 50409. Answer the questions the bot texts you, and in about two minutes it’ll send your letter via text to your elected officials, like your members of Congress or state legislators.