Rep. Collin Duel, R-Guthrie, recently spearheaded an interim study scrutinizing the effectiveness of the Oklahoma Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) and the Oklahoma Foreign Adversary Divestment Act (FADA), as per the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Duel gathered a panel of experts before the House State Powers Committee to dissect the capacity of both state-level and federal measures to combat the strategic incursions of foreign adversaries into Oklahoma's affairs.

The study sheds light on America's preparedness—or lack thereof—at state and local levels in the face of potential conflict brought to U.S. soil by entities like the Chinese Communist Party, according to Alex Gray, CEO of American Global Strategies LLC. "The Chinese Communist Party views our states and localities as less prepared to resist Chinese Communist Party aggression than the U.S. at the federal level," Gray explained, as reported by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. This alarm not only underscores a call to bolster defenses at more localized levels of governance but also resonates with the sentiment shared by Frances Hui, the first Hong Kong activist granted asylum in the U.S. and a policy advocate at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, who reminded committee members that "freedom is not free."

Another perspective came from Matthew du Mee, Partner at Fusion Law, who elucidated the inner workings of FARA, particularly highlighting how current exemptions for lobbyists, commercial activity, and academic research create vulnerabilities that adversary espionage and influence operations might exploit. These regulatory gaps allow organizations such as TikTok and drone maker DJI, both with acknowledged ties to China, to function without FARA registration.

Michael Lucci, the founder and CEO of State Armor, punctuated the proceedings with proposals for state-level interventions that could remedy these federal shortcomings. Lucci's proposed countermeasures include extending the adversary nation application and closing the previously mentioned loopholes. During discussion of FADA, Lucci argued, "The fiduciary argument, I believe, would be to get out now," as mentioned by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He emphasized the pressing need to realign investments considering the moral implications and national security risks associated with holdings in Chinese assets.

Among the contributors to the dialogue was Dr. Jacqueline from the Long-Term Strategy Group, who discussed long-range planning to counter the CCP's tactics. Additionally, Ambassador Kelley Currie, founder of Kilo Alpha Strategies and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Commission on Women’s Rights, shared her experience in the discourse. The collaborative insights provided throughout the study are set to inform Oklahoma’s strategy against foreign influences. Duel concluded the session by acknowledging the wealth of information gathered and envisioning what Oklahoma can do to prepare for this type of threat.