Moolenaar Backs BIS Funding Boost, Demands Tougher Tools to Block CCP Threats

United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party
May 6, 2025
Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – the White House's announcement of increased funding for the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China issued the following statement:

"I fully support the increase in BIS funding, as recommended by the Select Committee on China in our recent DeepSeek investigation. However, funding alone isn’t enough to finish the job. We need to modernize BIS from top to bottom—giving it the structure, authorities, and urgency needed to stop the Chinese Communist Party from exploiting American technology. I look forward to working with the administration to deliver real results.”

Background

The Bureau of Industry and Security plays a critical role in protecting U.S. national security by enforcing export controls on sensitive technologies. In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has aggressively pursued advanced semiconductors, AI tools, and other dual-use technologies through illicit procurement networks that exploit gaps in U.S. oversight.

In March 2025, the Select Committee released its DeepSeek report, an investigation that exposed how the CCP is bypassing export control laws to acquire cutting-edge U.S. technology. Among its top recommendations: substantially increasing funding and resources for BIS to enhance screening, enforcement, and coordination with allies.

What the New Funding Will Do

  • Expand BIS enforcement staff to investigate export violations and stop illegal tech transfers.
  • Modernize screening systems to detect and disrupt shell companies and front entities used by the CCP.
  • Improve coordination with U.S. allies to create a unified front against tech theft.
  • Bolster licensing review capacity, reducing backlogs and enhancing scrutiny of high-risk exports.

Why This Matters to Americans

  •  The CCP is stealing American innovation to build its military: Advanced U.S. technologies, from AI chips to satellite components, are ending up in Chinese drones, missiles, and surveillance systems. Much of this tech is acquired through loopholes in U.S. export controls and weak enforcement.
  • BIS is our frontline defense, but it’s outdated and under-resourced: The Bureau of Industry and Security is tasked with stopping these transfers, but it lacks the staff, tools, and modern infrastructure needed to compete with the CCP’s sprawling illicit procurement networks.
  • American workers, industries, and service members are at risk: When the CCP uses U.S.-origin technology to enhance its military or suppress dissent, it threatens not just global freedom but the security of our troops and the future of U.S. manufacturing and innovation.

 

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