WASHINGTON – Congressman Lance Gooden, who has led congressional efforts to combat Chinese Communist Party espionage and intellectual property theft, applauded the Department of War (DoW) for cracking down on American universities with research and financial ties to foreign adversaries.

Last year, Gooden reintroduced the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from the CCP Act (H.R. 1468), which would establish a dedicated CCP Initiative within the Department of Justice to combat CCP-backed economic espionage and intellectual property theft targeting American businesses, universities, and national security. The legislation passed the House Judiciary Committee in March and is awaiting a vote on the House floor.

“American universities should be developing breakthroughs that keep America ahead, not becoming breeding grounds for our adversaries' espionage operations,” said Rep. Gooden. “I applaud Secretary Hegseth and the Department of War for putting national security first and demanding answers from these 30 institutions."