China-focused bills draw sponsorship from Rep. Curtis and Sen. Romney

Sen. Mitt Romney speaks Tuesday on the first day of a two-day, closed-door meeting of Republican presidential candidates, in Park City. Photo: Photo: abc4.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Sen. Mitt Romney and Rep. John Curtis have individually endorsed distinct pieces of legislation, each aimed at mitigating China’s influence and restricting access to sensitive American data.

Romney co-sponsored the Prohibiting Foreign Access to American Genetic Information Act of 2024, which is aimed at prohibiting biotechnology companies owned or controlled by foreign adversary governments, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from receiving U.S. taxpayer funds through federal grants, loans, or contracts.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee recently voted to advance the legislation to the Senate floor.

Should the bill be approved by both the House and Senate, a swift prohibition would be enforced on the BGI Group (BGI), MGI, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTec, and their affiliated companies, due to the considerable national security threat they present with their extensive connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

“Chinese-based biotechnology companies are collecting genetic and sensitive health data from millions of people around the world through medical diagnostics tests to give China the upper hand,” Romney said.

Romney hopes this legislation will help prevent foreign adversaries from stealing sensitive American genetic data and personal health information.

“We cannot allow the CCP to get their hands on Americans’ private health information. Our bipartisan legislation bans federal contracts and funding mechanisms to companies with ties to the CCP, helping make sure no American taxpayer dollars could be used to subsidize biotech companies that threaten our national security. I’m pleased the Committee approved this critical legislation and urge my colleagues to support it when it comes to the Senate floor.”

Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Curtis has also co-sponsored legislation intended to mitigate Chinese influence in the U.S. as well as information sharing with the CCP.

The bill, titled the Countering Communist China Act, is composed of a comprehensive legislative package which includes measures related to trade, supply chains, education, protection of intellectual property, and fentanyl production.

“China is a threat to global stability with their posture towards Taiwan, which ultimately impacts our homeland and economy. It is deeply concerning to witness CCP intimidation and coercion of international students, human rights activists, and even lawmakers,” Curtis said. “This bill is a comprehensive Republican answer to the CCP’s global strategy.”

If passed, the bill would restrict investments into Chinese tech companies, impose trade restrictions on Chinese military and surveillance companies, and end permanent normal trade relations with China.

The proposed legislation aims to enforce penalties on Chinese officials and organizations until they halt the distribution of lethal fentanyl, reduce fentanyl-related overdoses and fatalities by 98% according to government assessment, authorize American citizens to litigate against Chinese government officials for fentanyl-related deaths in their immediate family, and offer financial incentives for individuals disclosing details on the unlawful production of fentanyl and its precursor substances.

Furthermore, the proposed legislation aims to curtail China’s impact on the United States by prohibiting CCP entities from acquiring American real estate and farmland, restricting U.S. government officials from advocating for Communist nations, and imposing sanctions on Chinese apps that illicitly gather data from U.S. citizens.

The bill would also try to sever China’s impact on the U.S. education system, as it would stop federal funding to universities who receive any funding from the CCP, bar students from countries of concern from participating in sensitive projects that impact our national security, and bar federal STEM grants from going to Chinese nationals.

“America cannot be complacent about the rising threats from the Chinese Communist Party. Urgent action is needed on every facet of the U.S.-China relationship, and this initiative provides a roadmap to once again give America the upper hand,” said Morgan Ortagus, former spokesperson for the State Department.