I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3426 
To authorize the establishment of a Technology Partnership among 
democratic countries, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 20, 2021 
Mr. MOULTON (for himself, Mr. KEATING, and Mr. KINZINGER) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To authorize the establishment of a Technology Partnership 
among democratic countries, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Democracy Technology 
Partnership Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The 21st century will increasingly be de-
fined by economic competition rooted in techno-
logical advances. Leaders in adopting emerging tech-
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nologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum 
computing, biotechnology, and next-generation tele-
communications, and those who shape the use of 
such technologies, will garner economic, military, 
and political strength for decades. 
(2) These technologies offer opportunities for 
the empowerment of citizens, but also and challenges 
to basic norms of democratic governance and inter-
nationally recognized human rights. The collection 
and analysis of data from individuals allows govern-
ments to know more about their residents’ behaviors, 
preferences, interests, and activities than was pos-
sible years ago. The concentration of this data in 
key technologies, such as smart phones, search data-
bases, and facial recognition databases, along with 
the sharing of data among governments, creates 
pressing concerns about individuals’ scope to exer-
cise their fundamental political and social rights. 
(3) This challenge arises as the integrity and 
efficacy of post-World War II international institu-
tions are increasingly challenged. New approaches to 
multilateral cooperation and arrangements are need-
ed to tackle the challenges ahead to ensure that the 
United States continues to lead in critical tech-
nologies. 
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(4) As information and communications tech-
nologies have matured and increasingly mediate 
large swathes of social, political and economic activ-
ity, it is incumbent on democratic governments to 
address the ways in which these technologies have 
undermined democratic values, consumer protec-
tions, and social cohesion. Moreover, as authori-
tarian regimes increasingly shape and deploy tech-
nologies to bolster repression, stifle free expression, 
and interfere with free and fair elections in other 
countries, the world’s advanced democracies will 
need to shape technology standards so that emerging 
and critical technologies reflect democratic values, 
including freedom of expression and privacy. 
(5) Technological leadership by the world’s 
major liberal-democratic nations collectively will be 
essential to safeguarding democratic institutions, 
norms, and values, and contributing to global peace 
and prosperity, especially as authoritarian govern-
ments seek to promote closed information systems 
and technology that is not interoperable, often 
through trade and investment practices that are in-
compatible with global norms. A unified approach by 
like-minded nations is needed to counteract growing 
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investments in, and deployments of, emerging tech-
nologies by authoritarian powers. 
(6) In addition to the development of emerging 
technologies, democratic nations must lead in shap-
ing expectations for the responsible use of such tech-
nologies and push back against laissez faire ap-
proaches and authoritarian interests on internet gov-
ernance advanced in multilateral forums by— 
(A) advocating against efforts to crim-
inalize or limit political dissent and freedom of 
speech online, such as those spearheaded by the 
Russian Federation, which seek to undermine 
the 
Council 
of 
Europe’s 
Convention 
on 
Cybercrime, done at Budapest November 23, 
2001, in favor of a statist alternative; and 
(B) prioritizing protections for elections, 
and other processes essential for healthy democ-
racies, from cyber-attack. 
(7) The world’s leading democracies must also 
confront new challenges to their market-driven eco-
nomic systems to ensure their continued leadership 
in technology and innovation. The People’s Republic 
of China (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘PRC’’) is 
pursuing an industrial policy to achieve dominance 
in key technologies, including 5G, artificial intel-
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ligence (referred to in this section as ‘‘AI’’), quan-
tum computing, hypersonics, biotechnology, space 
capabilities, and autonomous vehicles. 
(8) The PRC seeks to use technological superi-
ority for national security, military-civil fusion, and 
economic gains, according to its strategic plans, in-
cluding— 
(A) the Made in China 2025 strategy; 
(B) the Five-Year Plan for Standardiza-
tion and China Standards 2035; 
(C) the 2006 Medium-to-Long Term S&T 
Plan; 
(D) the 2010 State Council Decision on 
Accelerating the Development of Strategic 
Emerging Industries; and 
(E) the 13th Five-Year Plan for the Devel-
opment of Strategic Emerging Industries. 
(9) The PRC seeks to advance in areas in 
which democratic countries currently have a techno-
logical advantage and move ahead in emerging tech-
nologies where China seeks a unique opportunity to 
overtake such countries. 
(10) For many years, the PRC has pursued in-
dustrial policies and discriminatory trade practices 
that include— 
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