Sponsors (4)
The bill increases transparency and civil‑liberty safeguards around DOJ counter‑CCP efforts and gives research institutions clearer visibility into protections, but that openness risks exposing operational details, may chill academic work, and could raise taxpayer costs.
Congressional oversight committees and the public get an annual unclassified report on DOJ efforts to counter CCP espionage, increasing transparency and enabling informed oversight.
U.S. persons (including students and researchers) gain required reporting on measures that protect civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy, which can constrain overly intrusive investigative practices.
Researchers, universities, and defense contractors receive clearer accounting of DOJ resources and programs aimed at protecting U.S. IP and research from CCP-related theft, helping institutions plan protections and partner safely.
Publishing details of DOJ counter-CCP activities risks revealing operational methods or vulnerabilities if classification is insufficient, which could weaken effectiveness and harm national security.
Heightened focus on researchers and universities as potential 'non-traditional collectors' may chill academic collaboration and impose extra compliance burdens on scientists and institutions.
Increased reporting requirements and possible program expansion could raise DOJ costs, increasing the fiscal burden on taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DOJ to publish an annual unclassified report (with optional classified annex) for seven years on efforts to counter CCP espionage, IP theft, research threats, resources, effectiveness, and civil liberties protections.
Official title: Direct the Attorney General to prepare a report on the Department of Justice activities related to countering Chinese national security threats, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 15, 2025 by Marsha Blackburn · Last progress May 15, 2025
Requires the Attorney General to produce an annual unclassified report (with an optional classified annex) for seven years describing Department of Justice activities to counter national security threats and espionage by the Chinese Communist Party. The report must inventory DOJ operations addressing CCP-related theft of U.S. intellectual property and research, report resources and program effectiveness, describe protections for civil rights and privacy, and be prepared in coordination with other national security agencies. The first report must be delivered and published within 90 days after enactment and then annually for seven years. Reports go to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and the DOJ website; an optional classified annex may be submitted to congressional committees as appropriate.