Sponsors (14)
Creates a six-year DOJ initiative to investigate, prosecute, and counter PRC/CCP-linked economic espionage, research theft, and related threats, with annual congressional reporting.
Official title: To establish the CCP Initiative program, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 21, 2025 by Lance Gooden · Last progress February 21, 2025
The bill expands DOJ capacity and interagency coordination to detect and prosecute PRC-linked economic and cyber threats and increase oversight, but it raises civil liberties and due-process risks, increases compliance costs for businesses, and could divert resources or expose sensitive information.
Government contractors, tech workers, and affected businesses will see increased federal prosecutions and investigations of PRC-linked trade secret theft, hacking, and economic espionage, improving deterrence and accountability.
Utilities, energy companies, financial institutions, and other critical infrastructure operators will gain dedicated DOJ resources and a separate initiative to strengthen continuity and protection of sensitive supply chains against PRC-related threats.
Small business owners and tech workers will benefit from improved coordination among DOJ, Commerce, Treasury, CFIUS, DoD, and the private sector to better detect risky PRC investments and protect U.S. intellectual property.
Immigrants and other individuals labeled as 'non-traditional collectors' or PRC-affiliated could face expanded investigations and prosecutions that raise civil liberties and due process concerns.
Small business owners and financial institutions working with PRC-linked partners may face higher compliance, legal, and transaction costs due to increased enforcement and scrutiny.
Federal employees and taxpayers could see DOJ funds diverted from other national security priorities or federal programs if the initiative requires earmarked resources without increased appropriations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a dedicated initiative inside the Department of Justice’s National Security Division to investigate, prosecute, and otherwise counter threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and PRC-based actors, focused on trade secret theft, economic espionage, hacking, academic and research spying, and risks to critical infrastructure and supply chains. The Attorney General must staff and resource the Initiative separately, coordinate with other DOJ components, FBI, and federal agencies, and provide an annual written report (with classified annex if needed) to key congressional committees. The Initiative becomes effective on enactment, will operate for six years, and includes definitions for key terms (for example “non-traditional collector” and “CCP”), requirements for interagency and private-sector coordination, and direction to assess PRC financial/intelligence capabilities, unmanned aircraft and AI risks, CFIUS-related findings, and estimated economic losses from PRC-related hacking and trade secret theft.