Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act

# Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act Summary **What the Bill Does** This bill would require the U.S. Department of Defense to investigate and report on the security damage caused by a Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down over the United States in February 2023. The Defense Department would need to consult with the President and assess what information China may have gathered through the balloon before it was destroyed. The findings would be submitted as a report to Congress. **Key Details and Who It Affects** The report would be released in an unclassified (public) version so Congress and the American public can understand the basic findings, though sensitive national security details could be included in a separate classified section.

The bill essentially aims to provide transparency about whether and how the balloon's surveillance threatened U.S. national security interests. It affects the Department of Defense, the executive branch, and Congress, which would receive and review the report. **Current Status** The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. Congressman Russell Fry, a Republican from South Carolina, sponsored the legislation.