House passes bill to reinstate Trump-era program rooting out Chinese spies in US research

The Department of Justice would revive Trump-era efforts to root out perceived Chinese spies in U.S. research and infrastructure as part of efforts to combat foreign espionage from the Chinese Communist Party , according to a new bill that passed the House on Wednesday.

Lawmakers voted 237-180 to advance the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act, which would reinstate an initiative within the DOJ National Security Division to combat intellectual theft from the Chinese government and protect U.S. infrastructure and technology. The bill would help thwart CCP efforts to infiltrate global research and industries that have cost the United States up to $600 billion annually, according to Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX), who introduced the bill.

"Efforts by the CCP to infiltrate our domestic industries and steal American trade secrets cannot go unaddressed," Gooden told the Washington Examiner in a statement. "The Chinese Communist Party continues to ramp up efforts to steal and copy U.S. technological advances. My bill will give federal law enforcement the tools they need to effectively combat the CCP and safeguard American industry."

The bill would revive the China Initiative that was established under former President Donald Trump in November 2018. The program sought to pursue Chinese commercial theft of U.S. technology at a time when the two countries were engaged in tense trade wars and tariff exchanges.

The program especially targeted instances in which individuals omitted information or failed to disclose Chinese funding on grant applications. Under Gooden’s bill, the reinstated program would ensure the DOJ collaborates more closely with the FBI and other federal agencies to “safeguard critical American infrastructure and technology.”

The program was later dismantled under the Biden administration over concerns it unfairly targeted Chinese Americans and portrayed them as unloyal to the U.S. Others expressed concerns the initiative relied on racially profiling residents with Chinese ancestry.

Still, 160 individuals and entities were indicted before the initiative ended and at least 45 of those have been convicted or pleaded guilty, according to House Republicans .

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“In 2022, the Biden DOJ ended a program that sought to counter Chinese intelligence threats on American intellectual property, critical infrastructure, and academic institutions,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said in a statement. “I commend Rep. Gooden’s dedication to protecting Americans and for his leadership in sponsoring H.R. 1398, legislation that reinstitutes this critically important program.”

The bill now heads to the Democratic-led Senate, where its future is unclear. Earlier this year, more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers sought to halt the China Initiative’s reinstatement over concerns it could target Chinese Americans. Yet more than 20 House Democrats voted in favor of the measure on Wednesday.