New legislation to counter China pushed by Senate Democrats

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats launched a new legislative effort Wednesday in one of the few areas that appears to be generating bipartisanship in Congress — taking on China.

The aim is to build on last year's bipartisan passage of a bill to boost computer chip production in the United States with more than $52 billion in manufacturing incentives and semiconductor research. That package, like the new one, was touted by lawmakers as a necessary step toward making America more competitive with China.

But passage of a second bill could prove more difficult. Republicans have taken the majority in the House, placing more emphasis on spending cuts than on enacting new programs, and have so far found little common ground with the Senate.

Still, a new House committee focused exclusively on countering China is supported by lawmakers in both parties as they try to speak with one voice on issues such as human rights abuses and bringing supply chains back to the United States. And many of the ideas raised Wednesday by Senate Democrats dovetail with proposals circulating in the House.