The bill
COUNTER Act of 2025
S. 1731, 119th Congress — read as touching Defense Contractors.
Sponsored by
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
ID: C001088
Follow the money
The bill
S. 1731, 119th Congress — read as touching Defense Contractors.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
The alignment
This bill's text tracks the "Introduction" section, p. 155-157 of the Mandate for Leadership.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 96.
June 17, 2025
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of our esteemed Congress. The COUNTER Act of 2025 is a bill that's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. Let me dissect this monstrosity for you.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to require the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy in response to China's global basing intentions. Wow, what a bold move! It's not like we've been aware of China's expansionist ambitions for decades or anything.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill is a laundry list of "findings" and "senses of Congress" that are about as binding as a participation trophy. It demands that the executive branch develop a comprehensive strategy to counter China's global basing intentions, which includes (but is not limited to):
* Identifying potential locations for Chinese military bases * Assessing the strategic implications of these bases * Developing a whole-of-government approach to address this issue * Prioritizing the subject within the context of US-China strategic competition
Oh, and it also requires the executive branch to submit reports to Congress on their progress. Because, you know, Congress is just dying to get its hands on some more paperwork.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved:
* The People's Republic of China (PRC), because they're the ones allegedly trying to take over the world * The US Department of State and Department of Defense, because they're supposed to be doing something about it * Various congressional committees, because they need something to do besides tweeting about how much they hate each other
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of "legislative theater" – all sound and fury, signifying nothing. It's a symbolic gesture designed to make Congress look like it's doing something about China's growing influence.
In reality, this bill will likely have zero impact on China's global basing intentions. The PRC will continue to do what it wants, when it wants, because that's what great powers do. Meanwhile, our politicians will pat themselves on the back for "taking a stand" against China, all while collecting their paychecks and enjoying their taxpayer-funded healthcare.
The only real impact of this bill will be to further inflame tensions between the US and China, making it even more difficult to find common ground on issues that actually matter. But hey, who needs diplomacy when you can just pass a bunch of meaningless legislation?
Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a severe case of "Legislative Attention Deficit Disorder" (LADD). Symptoms include:
* A lack of focus on actual solutions * An overemphasis on symbolic gestures * A complete disregard for the complexities of international relations
Treatment: A healthy dose of skepticism, a pinch of realism, and a strong prescription for actual policy changes that might
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: R000618
Top Contributors
10
ID: K000384
Top Contributors
10
ID: C001056
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001208
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 57 nodes and 34 connections (55 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $239,747
Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.
The bill requires the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy to counter PRC global basing intentions, including establishing an interagency task force and conducting assessments. This will likely lead to increased defense planning, intelligence analysis, and potential contracts for defense contractors to support strategy implementation, mitigation measures, and task force operations (Sections 5(b), 5(c), 5(d)).
This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.
— 122 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Direct that irregular warfare resources, capabilities, and strategies be incorporated directly into the overall National Defense Strategy instead of being relegated to a supporting document. 4. Establish an Irregular Warfare Center of Excellence to help DOD train, equip, and organize to conduct irregular warfare as a core competency across the spectrum of competition, crisis, and conflict. l Counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) globally. DOD, in conjunction with the Interagency, allies, and partner nations, must work proactively to counter China’s BRI around the globe. 1. Task USSOCOM and corresponding organizations in the Pentagon with conceptualizing, resourcing, and executing regionally based operations to counter the BRI with a focus on nations that are key to our energy policy, international supply chains, and our defense industrial base. 2. Use regional and global information operations to highlight Chinese violations of Exclusive Economic Zones, violations of human rights, and coercion along Chinese fault lines in Xinjiang Province, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in addition to China’s weaponization of sovereign debt. 3. Directly counter Chinese economic power with all elements of national power in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean to maintain maritime freedom of movement and protect the digital infrastructure of nations in the region. l Establish credible deterrence through irregular warfare to protect the homeland. A whole-of-government approach and willingness to employ cyber, information, economic, and counterterrorist irregular warfare capabilities should be utilized to protect the homeland. 1. Include the designation of USSOCOM as lead for the execution of irregular warfare against hostile state and nonstate actors in the National Defense Strategy. 2. Demonstrate a willingness to employ offensive cyber capabilities against adversaries who conduct cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure, businesses, personnel, and governments. — 123 — Department of Defense 3. Employ a “name and shame” approach by making information regarding the names of entities that target democratic processes and international norms available in a transparent manner. 4. Work with the Interagency to employ economic warfare, lawfare, and diplomatic pressure against hostile state and nonstate actors. 5. Maintain the authorities necessary for an aggressive counterterrorism posture against threats to the homeland. NUCLEAR DETERRENCE Nuclear deterrence is one of the most critical elements of U.S. national security, as it forms a backstop to U.S. military forces. Every operational plan relies on the assumption that nuclear deterrence holds. Ever since the U.S. first acquired nuclear weapons, Administrations of both parties have pursued a strategy designed to deter nuclear and non-nuclear attack; assure allies; and, in the event of nuclear employ- ment, restore deterrence at the lowest possible cost to the U.S. Today, however, America’s ability to meet these goals is increasingly challenged by the growing nuclear threats posed by our adversaries. l China is pursuing a strategic breakout of its nuclear forces, significantly shifting the nuclear balance and forcing the U.S. to learn how to deter two nuclear peer competitors (China and Russia) simultaneously for the first time in its history. l Russia is expanding its nuclear arsenal and using the threat of nuclear employment as a coercive tactic in its war on Ukraine. l North Korea is advancing its nuclear capabilities. l Iran is inching closer to nuclear capability. Meanwhile, all U.S. nuclear capabilities and the infrastructure on which they rely date from the Cold War and are in dire need of replacement. The next Admin- istration will need to focus on continuing the effort to modernize the nuclear triad while updating our strategy and capabilities to meet the challenges presented by a more threatening nuclear environment. Needed Reforms l Prioritize nuclear modernization. All components of the nuclear triad are far beyond their intended lifetimes and will need to be replaced over the next
— 122 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Direct that irregular warfare resources, capabilities, and strategies be incorporated directly into the overall National Defense Strategy instead of being relegated to a supporting document. 4. Establish an Irregular Warfare Center of Excellence to help DOD train, equip, and organize to conduct irregular warfare as a core competency across the spectrum of competition, crisis, and conflict. l Counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) globally. DOD, in conjunction with the Interagency, allies, and partner nations, must work proactively to counter China’s BRI around the globe. 1. Task USSOCOM and corresponding organizations in the Pentagon with conceptualizing, resourcing, and executing regionally based operations to counter the BRI with a focus on nations that are key to our energy policy, international supply chains, and our defense industrial base. 2. Use regional and global information operations to highlight Chinese violations of Exclusive Economic Zones, violations of human rights, and coercion along Chinese fault lines in Xinjiang Province, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in addition to China’s weaponization of sovereign debt. 3. Directly counter Chinese economic power with all elements of national power in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean to maintain maritime freedom of movement and protect the digital infrastructure of nations in the region. l Establish credible deterrence through irregular warfare to protect the homeland. A whole-of-government approach and willingness to employ cyber, information, economic, and counterterrorist irregular warfare capabilities should be utilized to protect the homeland. 1. Include the designation of USSOCOM as lead for the execution of irregular warfare against hostile state and nonstate actors in the National Defense Strategy. 2. Demonstrate a willingness to employ offensive cyber capabilities against adversaries who conduct cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure, businesses, personnel, and governments.
Policy matches are calculated using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text. A score of 60% or higher indicates meaningful thematic overlap. This does not imply direct causation or intent, but highlights areas where legislation aligns with Project 2025 policy objectives.