Press Releases

Congressman Russell Fry Reintroduces Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act on Second Anniversary of Its Downing off Coast of SC-07

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the two-year anniversary of the Chinese spy balloon being shot down off the coast of South Carolina's Seventh District, Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) has reintroduced the Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act. This legislation would require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on the intelligence collection capabilities of the high-altitude Chinese surveillance balloon and its impacts on U.S. national security.

On January 28, 2023, a high-altitude surveillance balloon controlled by the People’s Republic of China entered United States airspace and traveled across the country before being shot down eight days later off the coast of Congressman Fry’s district, in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, on February 4, 2023. After repeated calls for an explanation, no report was ever provided. 

Congressman Fry originally introduced the Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act in December of 2023 to prompt answers after the American people were ignored by the Biden administration for almost one year.

The Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act would require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress on the national security impacts of the Chinese surveillance balloon, including:

• a description of the balloon’s surveillance on U.S. military installations; and 
• an analysis of the technology and materials recovered from the surveillance balloon. 

“On the two-year anniversary of the Chinese spy balloon being shot down off the coast of South Carolina’s Seventh District, my constituents and the American people are still waiting on any kind of explanation as to what information the balloon was able to obtain,” said Congressman Fry. “After allowing the balloon to freely fly across our country for 8 days, the least President Biden could have done was provide a public report, but he did not. Fortunately, President Trump’s administration is centered around transparency. He has already released information on the East Coast drone sightings, and it is my hope the Chinese spy balloon will be the next mystery unraveled.”

“Threats to our Nation’s security should be addressed promptly and decisively, and Congressman Fry rightly underscores the importance of the Department of Defense in handling these matters,” said Robert Wilkie, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and co-Chair of AFPI’s Center for American Security. “Accountability has been foremost for the Trump Administration. This standard was absent during the Biden Administration, as evidenced by the massive intelligence failure and after-action steps surrounding the “China Spy Balloon” debacle one year ago.” 

This bill is cosponsored by Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Ralph Norman (R-SC), and Daniel Webster (R-FL).

Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.

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