Blackburn, Duckworth Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Counter Communist China’s ‘Gray-Zone’ Aggression Against Indo-Pacific Partners

Blackburn, Duckworth Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Counter Communist China’s ‘Gray-Zone’ Aggression Against Indo-Pacific Partners August 28, 2026 NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve our nation’s capabilities to counter the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) intimidation and coercion tactics in the Indo-Pacific, which actively threaten the safety of our partners in the region as well as our national security. Known as ‘gray-zone tactics,’ these actions are aimed at disrupting regional stability while stopping just short of armed conflict—a dangerous strategy that sets the stage for even harsher intervention by the PRC in the future. The Senators’ bipartisan Countering Gray Zone Aggression by the People’s Republic of China Act would direct the State Department to enhance cooperation with our Indo-Pacific partners and better address the growing threat of PRC aggression in the region. “Communist China is constantly devising ways to evade detection and act maliciously towards our allies through cyberattacks, economic coercion, information warfare, and other ‘gray-zone’ tactics that undermine the U.S. and our allies without using open military conflict,” said Senator Blackburn. “This legislation would strengthen our ability to counter the CCP’s malign geopolitical interests and its increasingly aggressive tactics in the Indo-Pacific.” “Increasing PRC aggression in the Indo-Pacific doesn’t just impact our partners in the region—it threatens America’s economic and national security,” said Senator Duckworth . “We are Pacific nation, and we depend on a free and open Indo-Pacific. As the PRC works to undermine regional stability through its gray-zone tactics, our bipartisan bill would help ensure the U.S. better coordinates with our partners and deters these efforts that pose a real threat to our security.” BACKGROUND Over the past several years, an emboldened China is intensifying its aggression in the South China Sea and the Strait of Taiwan; ramming Philippine vessels, enhancing maritime capabilities, building artificial islands and deploying various other economic and military coercive methods just shy of armed military conflict – otherwise known as gray-zone tactics. These actions are designed to exploit ambiguity to pressure U.S. Indo-Pacific allies and partners, and advance the PRC’s core geopolitical interests, at the calculated risk of potential kinetic escalation. COUNTERING GRAY ZONE AGGRESSION BY THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ACT The bipartisan Countering Gray Zone Aggression by the People’s Republic of China Act would increase U.S. monitoring and deterrence capabilities of gray-zone tactics by the PRC, enhance public oversight of these tactics, and increase cooperation with Indo-Pacific allies by: Directing the Secretary of State to submit a strategy for better monitoring PRC behavior in the Indo-Pacific and identify relevant branches, programs and actors to enhance Indo-Pacific oversight. Requiring the task force to track, formulate and strengthen tools for the purpose of countering and mitigating gray-zone operations and evaluate progress and performance indicators to report back to Congress. Instructing the Department of State to identify additional key areas for collaboration with our Indo-Pacific allies and partners and with private stakeholders, with the intent of strengthening our collective capabilities to deter this aggression by the PRC, to the benefit of U.S. national interest, the global economy and those in the region. Click here for bill text. https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2026/8/blackburn-duckworth-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-counter-communist-china-s-gray-zone-aggression-against-indo-pacific-partners