Statement from Congressman LaMalfa on Passage of Bills to Reduce China’s Influence in the United States

Washington, D.C. — This week, House Republicans advanced a series of critical bills aimed at safeguarding America’s economy, infrastructure, agriculture, and national security from increasing Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interference.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) released the following statement regarding this important action:

“China’s growing influence in our economy, our educational institutions, our military installations, and our farmlands is an undeniable threat to American sovereignty. The passage of these bills sends a clear message: we will not sit idly by as the CCP undermines our national security and steals our intellectual property. House Republicans are dedicated to protecting America’s future and standing up to foreign adversaries who wish to harm our nation.”

H.R. 1398, the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act, reinstates President Trump’s “China Initiative,” a vital program that was unilaterally terminated by the Biden-Harris administration. This initiative aggressively prosecutes the theft of U.S. trade secrets, economic espionage, and cyberattacks that threaten our intellectual property and infrastructure. The bill also mandates annual reporting from the Department of Justice to Congress, ensuring transparency and accountability in confronting Chinese-backed threats.

H.R. 1516, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, cuts off funding to higher education institutions that maintain ties to Chinese entities of concern, including Confucius Institutes. This bill is a significant step toward reducing the soft power influence China has attempted to exert within U.S. academic institutions, particularly through these questionable partnerships.

H.R. 7980, the End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles in America Act, takes direct aim at China’s control over the electric vehicle (EV) industry by prohibiting the use of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit for vehicles with batteries that are either manufactured by or tied to sanctioned entities in China, Iran, Russia, or North Korea. This bill ensures American taxpayer dollars are not used to support foreign adversaries in this critical sector.

H.R. 9456, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, addresses the growing concern over foreign ownership of American farmlands. By adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, this bill ensures a more comprehensive review of land transactions that may pose national security risks. With this legislation, Republicans are ensuring foreign entities, particularly China, cannot quietly acquire U.S. farmland and compromise our agricultural resources.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, and Tehama Counties.

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