WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) introduced the Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act, which would ensure that we know the full extent of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts to counter threats to U.S. national security posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP):

“We know the Chinese Communist Party has operated secret surveillance centers across the United States, setting up shop to threaten our communities and our national security,” said Senator Blackburn. “We cannot allow this to continue, and the Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act is an important step to ensure America’s national security, economy, and intellectual property are protected.” 

“We know the Chinese Communist Party is intent on stealing American companies’ intellectual property, government secrets, and military strategy,” said Senator Coons. “What we don’t know enough about is how they’re doing it, how often, and what more we can do to stop it. The bipartisan Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act is a critical step to getting the information we need to keep American families and American companies safe from China’s agents.”

BACKGROUND 

• In October 2023, the intelligence chiefs of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada came together to send a warning about China’s most sustained scaled and sophisticated theft of intellectual property and expertise in human history.

• In February 2023, the U.S. Air Force shot down a Chinese spy balloon that traveled through American airspace for several days – an apparent act of Chinese provocation.

• In April 2023, DOJ arrested two individuals in connection with opening and operating an illegal overseas Chinese police station.

• It was also revealed the CCP has secretly been operating seven “service centers” across America, raising questions about China’s surveillance efforts in the U.S.

• According to the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, the CCP has stolen enough IP to cost the United States an estimated $225 billion to $600 billion every year.

• The federal government must do everything in its power to counter the CCP’s threats to our national security and our economy.

 THE COUNTERING CHINESE ESPIONAGE REPORTING ACT 

• The Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act directs the U.S. Attorney General, in coordination with other relevant government agencies, to prepare an annual report on the DOJ’s efforts to counter these threats from China.
  
  
• Specifically, the DOJ’s report must include a description of its efforts to counter Chinese national security threats and espionage in the U.S., including:
  
  
• The theft of American IP and research;
  
  
• Threats from non-traditional collectors, such as researchers in labs, at universities, and at defense industrial base facilities; and
  
  
• An accounting of DOJ resources dedicated to combating CCP national security threats.

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Click here for bill text.