WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Jim Banks sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr requesting the FCC investigate foreign entities of concern (FEOCs) that broadcast on U.S. airwaves to determine if those entities pose a significant national security risk to the American public, and use existing FCC authorities to deter future partnerships between FEOCs and television networks. Last year, Temu – a Chinese e-commerce platform with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – aired three commercials during Super Bowl 2024.

Read the full letter HERE or below.

Dear Chairman Carr:

We are writing to you concerning access to U.S. media markets by foreign entities of concern (FEOCs), in particular through product advertisements. As we saw last year, but hopefully not this year, Temu – a Chinese e-commerce platform with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – aired three commercials during Super Bowl 2024. Temu spent approximately $21 million on those advertisements and offered $15 million worth of giveaways on their questionable products. Temu is known to flood the United States with cheap goods produced by forced labor in People’s Republic of China while exploiting the de-minimis loophole to avoid enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA). American broadcasting companies should not platform CCP-linked companies who actively violate U.S. laws and do not comply with the same standards as U.S. manufacturers.

In addition to Temu’s poor track record, the company’s China based parent, Pinduoduo (PDD), was recently named to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Notorious Markets List for the seventh consecutive year. PDD is well known for intellectual property theft, copyright piracy, and selling counterfeit goods.

We believe that U.S. airwaves are a national security asset and continuing to allow FEOCs to operate on U.S. television channels is extremely alarming. We request that the FCC investigate FEOCs that broadcast on U.S. airwaves to determine if those entities pose a significant national security risk to the American public, and use existing FCC authorities to deter future partnerships between FEOCs and television networks.

Thank you for your quick attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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