BRIDGE Act

This legislation mandates the U.S. Government to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter the People's Republic of China's (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Congress finds that the BRI, a long-term economic development strategy, poses significant risks to U.S. national security , economic security , and international influence by seeking to establish a Sinocentric world order. The bill asserts that despite existing efforts, the U.S. currently lacks a single, integrated government-wide strategy to effectively address the BRI's global reach and impact. The bill requires the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretaries of Commerce and the CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, to submit a report within 180 days. This report must detail the scope of PRC/CCP efforts to use the BRI to undermine the U.S.-led international order and create alternative PRC-centric organizations. Crucially, it mandates a detailed strategy for coordinating resources to counter the BRI, including recommendations for bolstering U.S. economic competition, assessing past efforts, and aligning with allies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, within one year, an implementation plan must be submitted, outlining clear program metrics, goals, and a monitoring framework for the strategy. This plan will ensure the strategy promotes U.S. foreign policy goals in the Indo-Pacific by offering a positive vision for shared economic and infrastructure growth. The report will be made publicly available in an unclassified form, with the option for a classified annex.