Congressman Ami Bera is a Democrat who represents California’s 7th Congressional district. In office since 2013, Representative Bera is chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation within the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also a senior member on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Bera was a medical doctor in California. Over the last year, he has sponsored legislation to bolster support for Taiwan and counter what he sees as China’s economic coercion. In this lightly edited Q&A, we discussed China-related legislation in Congress, the Biden administration’s record on China policy, and how to reduce the risk of conflict over Taiwan.
Ami Bera.Illustration by Lauren Crow
Q: Let's start with the America Competes Act, which just passed Congress. What impact will this bill have on the U.S.-China competition and, in your view, what are the most significant provisions in it?
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