East Central Reporter

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen has signed an executive order that bans the use or download of applications, software, and platforms created or owned by affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on state networks and devices. In a statement, Pillen said:

“This is about protecting Nebraska. We need to continue identifying and eliminating threats that come from the Chinese Communist Party,” said Gov. Pillen. “They don’t mean well, and we must ensure that America’s adversaries can’t hack our state’s data or critical digital infrastructure. This is important, ongoing work and commonsense governance.”

In contrast to Nebraska's approach, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has provided $536 million in tax credits to Gotion, a company with ties to the CCP, for the development of a lithium battery factory in Manteno, Illinois. The decision was made despite warnings from officials regarding potential security risks.

Illinois State Representative Chris Miller criticized Governor Pritzker’s actions regarding the deal with Gotion.

“Our governor is doing more for a foreign company in Illinois that has ties to the Chinese Communist Party than he is for Illinois citizens,” said Miller. “He made a deal that shifts $536 million in taxpayer incentives right into the hands of Chinese stakeholders while ignoring red flags that point to security risks.”

Miller, a Republican elected in 2023 to represent Illinois’ 101st House District after Reggie Phillips, has been vocal about his concerns over state investments involving companies linked to foreign governments.