Sen. Marco Rubio
Marco Antonio RubioRubio in Colombia to push for delivery of humanitarian aid to Venezuela On unilateral executive action, Mitch McConnell was right — in 2014 On The Money: Trump declares emergency at border | Braces for legal fight | Move divides GOP | Trump signs border deal to avoid shutdown | Winners, losers from spending fight | US, China trade talks to resume next week MORE (R-Fla.) along with a bipartisan group of five other lawmakers slammed Google over its reported plans to introduce a censored search engine in China.
“If true, this reported plan is deeply troubling and risks making Google complicit in human rights abuses related to China’s rigorous censorship regime,” the lawmakers wrote.
Other signatories included Sens. Tom Cotton
Thomas (Tom) Bryant CottonSenate approves border bill that prevents shutdown 'Morning Joe' host quizzes Howard Schultz on price of a box of Cheerios Huawei charges escalate Trump fight with China MORE (R-Ark.), Cory Gardner
Cory Scott GardnerBipartisan Senators reintroduce legislation to slap new sanctions on Russia Dems seeking path to Senate majority zero-in on Sun Belt Lawmakers eager for 5G breakthrough MORE (R-Colo.), Mark Warner
Mark Robert WarnerSchiff: Evidence of collusion between Trump campaign, Russia 'pretty compelling' The Hill's 12:30 Report — Presented by Kidney Care Partners — Lawmakers scramble as shutdown deadline nears Steel lobby's PR blitz can't paper over damaging effects of tariffs MORE (D-Va.), Ron Wyden
Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenKremlin seeks more control over internet in Russia Wisconsin governor to propose decriminalization of marijuana High stakes as Trump, Dems open drug price talks MORE (D-Ore.) and Bob Menendez
Robert (Bob) MenendezWilliam Barr is right man for the times This week: Trump delivers State of the Union amid wall fight BuzzFeed story has more to say about media than the president MORE (D-N.J.)
In the letter, the lawmakers also press Google for more answers on its “Dragonfly” project — the name of the search engine that will reportedly comply with China's strict government censorship law. News of Google's plan was first reported by The Intercept earlier this week.
Rubio and Cotton have opposed American companies working with China and Chinese tech companies in recent months. The two have aggressively railed against ZTE and Huawei’s presence in the U.S. citing American intelligence claims that the companies are a threat to national security.
Cotton has also gone after Google’s business dealings in China before. In a previous letter, he called into question the company’s partnership with Huawei, which he said raises national security concerns.
