Press Release

Representatives Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) and Andy Barr (R-KY) today reintroduced the Expand eXpertise in China Education and Language (EXCEL) Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen Chinese linguistic, cultural, and regional expertise needed to outcompete the People's Republic of China (PRC).

"The United States and our allies and partners face significant geostrategic challenges from the government of the People’s Republic of China," said Representative Ami Bera (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific. "To effectively outcompete China in the 21st century, it is imperative that we have a deeper understanding of Chinese language, history, and institutions, as well as the PRC’s objectives in the Indo-Pacific region. The EXCEL Act will enable the U.S. government to recruit and retain a new generation of American experts on China. We cannot afford to be complacent in our understanding of the PRC and the Chinese Communist Party.”

“The Chinese Communist Party poses a direct threat to the United States and our allies,” said Representative Andy Barr (R-KY), Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. “This critical piece of legislation would allow the State Department to employ and work with subject matter experts in this field to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used strategically to compete with the PRC."

The EXCEL Act of 2023 will:

• Direct the Secretary of State to appoint no fewer than 31 candidates with linguistic, cultural, or regional expertise relevant for strengthening U.S. understanding of and ability to compete with the People’s Republic of China directly to positions in the competitive service;
• Direct the Secretary of State to train Foreign Service and Civil Service employees who hold positions relevant to advancing U.S. policies toward competition on:
  • the domestic and foreign policy objectives of the PRC and Chinese Communist Party (CCP);
  • the tools the PRC and the CCP use to achieve those objectives; and
  • the role of ideology in shaping CCP policies and outlook;
• Establish a China Strategic Advisory Board comprised of experts appointed by the President, Secretary of State, and leaders from the Democratic and Republican parties. The China Strategy Advisory Board would:
  • Provide advice, expertise, and continuity in United States foreign policy matters pertaining to strategic competition with the PRC;
  • Review recruitment, training, and retention of Civil Service and Foreign Service members with the expertise and experience necessary to support U.S. policy toward the PRC;
  • Provide guidance on programs across regional and functional bureaus intended to respond to strategic competition with the PRC, including the Countering Chinese Influence Fund; and
• Identify long-term solutions through the Government Accountability Office, including directing the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the personnel capacity and capability at the Department of State and USAID to support U.S. strategic competition with the PRC and on available mechanisms to address any identified gaps.

Click here for full text of the legislation.