#218 GSRA Makes Sweeping Section 702 Reforms; APEC Summit; Proposed H1-B Rule Change; More
In This Issue #218
· GSRA Introduced to Make Sweeping Section 702 Reforms
· APEC Summit in San Francisco on November 11-17
· DHS Issues Proposed Rule to Modernize the H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker Program
· News and Activities for the Communities
GSRA Introduced to Make Sweeping Section 702 Reforms
According to multiple media reports and statements, a bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced on November 7, 2023, by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) that would rein in the U.S. surveillance state and significantly reform the laws the government uses to warrantlessly spy on Americans — including Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Known as The Government Surveillance Reform Act (GSRA), the 206-page bill would reauthorize Section 702 for four years.The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., Steve Daines, R-Mont., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Cynthia Lummis, R-Wy., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Edward Markey, D-Mass.In the House, the bill is cosponsored by Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., and Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif.
The bill’s reforms include:
· Protecting Americans from warrantless backdoor searches, ensuring that foreigners aren’t targeted as a pretext for spying on the Americans with whom they are communicating, and prohibiting the collection of domestic communications.
· Extending similar reforms to surveillance activities under Executive Order 12333, including by limiting warrantless searches of Americans’ communications and prohibiting the targeting of foreigners as a pretext for surveilling Americans. It also limits the acquisition of Americans’ information as part of large datasets.
· Requiring warrants for surveillance of Americans’ location data, web browsing and search records, including AI assistants like Alexa and Siri, vehicle data and by prohibiting the government from purchasing Americans’ data from data brokers.
· Exceptions to ensure the government can continue to use Section 702 for defensive cybersecurity purposes, to assist in locating and rescuing hostages overseas and emergency provisions in cases where there isn’t sufficient time to get a warrant in advance.
The bill has been endorsed by dozens of civil society organizations including Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF), and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) which are leading a coalition of Asian American organizations to oppose the renewal of Section 702 of FISA unless significant revisions are put into place. In addition, APA Justice supports an open letter to Congress prepared by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that individuals are urged to sign on: https://bit.ly/3EFkg3R.Additional coalition activities will be coming soon after the introduction of GSRA.
Read the press statement by Senator Ron Wyden: https://bit.ly/3SxLn8V and watch the press conference: https://bit.ly/3u04gqS
Links to some media reports and statements:
· Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC: Calls the Government Surveillance Reform Act Much-Needed Reform to Curb Warrantless Government Surveillance of Asian Americans
· Axios: Lawmakers unveil first bill to renew controversial surveillance program
· Just Security: The Year of Section 702 Reform, Part IV: The Government Surveillance Reform Act
· The Record: Bipartisan bill aims to have wide impact on federal surveillance efforts
APEC Summit in San Francisco on November 11-17
The 2023 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, also known as APEC, will be held in San Francisco on November 11-17, 2023. It was founded in Canberra, Australia, in 1989 as an informal dialogue forum to promote regional economic integration.
APEC's members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. They represent about 38% of the global population. Their economies account for about 62% of global GDP and almost half of global trade.The APEC Summit will host these 21 member economies from the Pacific Rim regions, including President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to Reuters on November 8, 2023, Presidents Biden and Xi are expected to hold summit talks as they seek to stabilize tense ties by meeting in-person for just the second time in nearly three years. Exact timing and other logistical details have not yet been formally announced.Visit https://www.apec2023sf.org/ for more information about the APEC Summit. It includes an External Stakeholder Events web page on a number of concurrent side events for broader public or targeted audience engagement that are organized by a wide variety of leading business, civil society, or nonprofit groups unaffiliated with the official APEC 2023 program or the United States Government.
DHS Issues Proposed Rule to Modernize the H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker Program
On October 20, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would modernize the H-1B specialty occupation worker program by streamlining eligibility requirements, improving program efficiency, providing greater benefits and flexibilities for employers and workers, and strengthening integrity measures.
The period to submit written comments closes December 22, 2023: https://bit.ly/49mYwYJ.
News and Activities for the Communities
1. APA Justice Community Calendar
Upcoming Events:2023/11/09 Quincy Institute: East Meets West Event 2023/11/09-12 NAPABA Convention2023/11/11 Association of Chinese Professionals 2023 MetroCon2023/11/12 Rep. Gene Wu's Weekly Town Hall Meeting2023/11/15 1990 Institute Media Narratives - Evaluating U.S.-China HeadlinesVisit https://bit.ly/45KGyga for event details.
2. 2023/11/09 Quincy Institute: East Meets West Event
WHAT: East Meets WestWHEN: Thursday, November 9, 8:30 am - 11:15 am Eastern TimeWHERE: Hybrid event; Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DCHOST: Quincy InstituteDESCRIPTION: Unpacking U.S.-China relations in the lead up to the Biden-Xi meeting at APEC REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/3QsCtqN
3. 2023/11/15 Media Narratives - Evaluating U.S.-China Headlines
WHAT: Media Narratives - Evaluating U.S.-China HeadlinesWHEN: Wednesday, November 15, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm Eastern TimeWHERE: Virtual Teachers Workshop via ZoomHOST: The 1990 Institute
SPEAKERS:
· Kaiser Kuo, The China Project
· Amy Qin, The New York Times
· Bochen Han, South China Morning Post
DESCRIPTION: The panel will delve into their first-hand experiences of their careers as journalists to highlight some of the complexities of news reporting in the context of U.S.-China relations. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/49kn1Wc
4. 2023/11/18 Inaugural Jimmy Carter Conversation on U.S.-China Relations
WHAT: In-person event: Inaugural Jimmy Carter Conversation on U.S.-China RelationsWHEN: Saturday, November 18, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Pacific Time, reception and dinner to follow (note: email confirmation required for dinner yawei.liu@cartercenter.org)WHERE: Del Santo Reading Room, Lone Mountain Main Building 270, University of San Francisco, 2820 Turk Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118HOSTS: The Carter Center; University of San FranciscoSPEAKERS:
· Max Baucus, Former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to China
· Zoe Zongyuan Liu, Council on Foreign Relations
· Orville Schell, Asia Society
· Amy Celico, Albright Stonebridge Group
· Ker Gibbs, University of San Francisco
DESCRIPTION: Speakers will debate and discuss the legacy of U.S.-China relations and how to peacefully manage the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world. REGISTRATION: https://bit.ly/40wINlD
November 9, 2023