A select House committee created two years ago by the Republican majority to address threats posed by communist China will get a new lease on life in the next Congress, bolstered by bipartisan support and a slew of supportive top officials in the coming Trump administration, the panel’s chairman confirmed in an interview.
Rep. John Moolenaar, the Michigan Republican who heads the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, told The Washington Times he was optimistic about the panel’s prospects in the next Congress given some of President-elect Donald Trump’s early appointments to his national security team.
He cited, in particular, three Republican lawmakers with reputations for being tough on Beijing: Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as secretary of state, Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida as a national security adviser, and Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York as ambassador to the United Nations. Mr. Moolenaar said he was also encouraged by the bipartisan nature of the committee’s work in its first two years.
“I’m very optimistic that we’ll continue to make progress. The committee has been very bipartisan, and that proves that bipartisanship is still possible when Democrats and Republicans come together against a common threat, a common adversary,” Mr. Moolenaar said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, has signaled that the select committee will continue its work, said Mr. Moolenaar. The chairman added that he had heard from several lawmakers seeking to join the panel.
“So I’m very optimistic that we’re going to continue the momentum that we’ve established in this most recent Congress,” he said.
Mr. Moolenaar said Mr. Rubio, Mr. Waltz and Ms. Stefanik shared many of the committee’s concerns about confronting China.
The select committee, whose members are handpicked by Republican and Democratic House leaders, was established in December 2022. It comprises 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats. Economic and security activities aim to prevent China from stealing advanced American technology and block Chinese companies from obtaining goods that can boost Beijing’s large-scale military buildup.
The committee has conducted dozens of hearings, business meetings and investigations and has sent scores of letters to administration officials. The letters signal to the executive branch critical issues that Congress is likely to influence through legislation or restrictions on funding.
The committee’s focus in its first two years included biosecurity and research security, banning the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, confronting the ruling Communist Party’s repression inside China, highlighting environmental concerns, and preventing the loss of American technology to Chinese rivals.
The committee is also addressing China’s global malign influence activities, critical infrastructure and dangers in cyberspace, transnational repression operations, economic aggression, suppression of democratic elements in Hong Kong, and treatment of the Uyghur minority that the U.S. government has labeled genocide.
American arms sales to Taiwan have also been critical for the committee in its hearings, legislation and letters to government and business leaders. China is stepping up aggression against the self-ruled island, and the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait remains one of the hottest flash points for a potential U.S.-China conflict.
Bipartisan approach
The panel was created to better coordinate China-related policies that were divided among several House committees. Despite intense rancor between Republicans and Democrats in Congress’ lower chamber, the committee has primarily avoided partisan divisions.
Most select committee announcements are made jointly by Mr. Moolenaar and the ranking Democrat, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, often in collaboration with other members.
Mr. Krishnamoorthi has rarely broken from that pattern. He provided solo support for some specific Biden administration actions and last month criticized House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, Kentucky Republican, for “a baseless investigation” into reported China ties of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate.
The panel’s regular activities of hearings, reports and letters culminated in September with a weeklong splurge of legislation dubbed “China Week.”
Members passed 25 pieces of legislation targeting the Chinese Communist Party and the government, including restrictions on Chinese land purchases in the U.S. heartland, curbs on Chinese-made drones and issues related to security matters in the Taiwan Strait. Among the bills were proposals to secure U.S. supply chains from Chinese pressure or intervention, including electric car batteries, health care and critical infrastructure.
Other bills would have tightened export controls on sensitive technology sold to China, bolstered civil liberties and human rights in places such as Hong Kong, and countered Chinese global influence operations.
The bills did not get votes in the Senate, but the panel hopes to add measures to the next annual defense authorization bill and pass in stand-alone legislation.
Republican control
Mr. Moolenaar said the committee could pass the China legislation package with the Senate and House in Republican control during the next Congress. The Biosecure Act and the End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act are priorities.
The Biosecure Act would prohibit federal agencies and companies that receive government funds from using biotechnology from companies linked to foreign adversaries such as China. The bill seeks to protect Americans’ genetic data from Chinese government-backed companies, including the military company BGI Genomics and biotechnology companies WuXi AppTec and WuXi Biologics.
The De Minimis bill, introduced in April, seeks to close loopholes that allow Beijing to circumvent tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. through an import process known as the “de minimis privilege.” This bill would impose civil penalties on importers who violate its provisions.
Mr. Moolenaar also wants comprehensive legislation in the next session that will codify into law a Biden administration executive order restricting investment in countries that threaten U.S. security. The Treasury Department issued regulations implementing the executive order restrictions last month.
Mr. Moolenaar said the regulations were overdue but legislation to cut off money flow to the CCP is needed.
“We’re looking at Biosecure, outbound investment, de minimis — all key priorities that we’d like to move forward in this session, if possible,” Mr. Moolenaar said.
“Then, in the new year, we want to make sure we reset this relationship with China with respect to trade and economic policy, looking at ways to make sure that we prevent critical technologies from getting there, as well as areas where they’re treating our companies unfairly.”
On Thursday, Mr. Moolenaar introduced legislation revoking China’s permanent normal trade relations status. China obtained favorable trading benefits despite its state-run economy and lack of a market system.
“So the committee’s work is far from done. There’s a great opportunity to pass legislation in the next several weeks but also in the next Congress. We’re going to continue making sure we enact these key priorities,” he said.
Mr. Moolenaar said he believes the incoming Trump administration, with help from Mr. Rubio and Mr. Waltz, will complement the committee’s work.
Mr. Waltz worked closely with the panel in seeking U.S. investment restrictions “to make sure we’re not funding our own demise with American dollars,” Mr. Moolenaar said.
Mr. Rubio is expected to be a key ally. The Florida Republican has been clear-eyed about the threats posed by China in the South China Sea and across the Taiwan Strait, he said.
The committee recognizes the global nature of the competition with China and will continue working to build stronger ties to allies and partners, such as Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, he said.
“We also want to make sure we don’t keep giving our taxpayer dollars to help the CCP advance their goals that we’ve been highlighting and want to continue to highlight,” Mr. Moolenaar said.
• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.
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