House Appropriations Committee rebukes President Trump, upholds sanctions on Chinese tech megafirm

The House Appropriations Committee quietly rejected the Trump administration’s efforts to help restore the US operations of the controversial Chinese tech megafirm, ZTE. Lawmakers from both parties unanimously agreed to include in an appropriations bill a provision that would uphold sanctions against the Chinese phone-maker, just days after President Donald Trump revealed in a tweet that he has directed his administration to help put the company “back in business.” The language was added to a relatively uncontroversial House spending bill, which funds the Commerce Department, among other agencies. The rare bipartisan amendment was approved in a voice vote, with backing from the GOP subcommittee chairman, Rep. John Culberson (R-TX).