The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1398, the “Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act,” introduced by Rep. Lance Gooden (TX). This bipartisan legislation will establish the CCP Initiative within the National Security Division of the Department of Justice, countering increasing espionage activities from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against the United States.
The CCP has aggressively expanded its efforts to infiltrate and dominate critical global industries ranging from steel to medicine through intellectual property theft, costing the U.S. economy up to $600 billion annually.
“Efforts by the CCP to infiltrate our domestic industries and steal American trade secrets cannot go unaddressed,” stated Rep. Gooden. A Trump-era program, the China Initiative, dismantled by the Biden-Harris Administration, was vital in addressing these threats, with the DOJ charging 61 cases of espionage, hacking, and intellectual property theft within U.S. borders by the CCP.
“In 2022, the Biden DOJ ended a program that sought to counter Chinese intelligence threats on American intellectual property, critical infrastructure, and academic institutions,” said Speaker Johnson. “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.”
H.R. 1398 not only revives efforts to combat the CCP’s IP theft, but further ensures the Department of Justice collaborates intensively with the FBI and other agencies to safeguard critical American infrastructure and technology.
“Passing the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act is a critical step in curbing intellectual property theft,” added Rep. Gooden. “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.”
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