WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) have introduced the bipartisan BIOSECURE Act. This legislation aims to protect American patient data and taxpayer dollars from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries' biotechnology companies by prohibiting Federal contracting with these entities. The bill builds upon previous efforts in the 118th Congress.
The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) national security laws require all Chinese firms to share any requested data with the CCP. This includes biotechnology companies that collect, test, and store American genomic data. Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI), a company in the People's Republic of China (PRC), has collected DNA from millions around the world and used that data without consent on genomic projects conducted by the Chinese military.
Chinese company WuXi AppTec has sponsored events with China's military, reportedly stolen U.S. intellectual property, and jointly operated genetic collection sites with China's military. There are also alarming ties between Chinese biotechnology companies and the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China.
WuXi AppTec generates over 60% of their revenue from the U.S. market, meaning U.S. consumers are directly facilitating a company that poses a risk to national security. BGI operates over 100 genetic collection laboratories in over 20 countries, infrastructure that according to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is providing “genetic data to serve PRC ambitions to dominate biotech.” BGI used a pre-natal test to harvest genetic data from over 8 million pregnant women in Europe without notifying them their data was going to the PRC.
Original co-sponsors of BIOSECURE Act include Neal Dunn (R-FL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Don Davis (D-NC).
“For the last year, the Select Committee has worked across Congress to produce solutions that protect our nation’s pharmaceutical supply chains and Americans’ personal health data from Chinese Communist Party exploitation. I am proud to support the BIOSECURE Act," said Chairman John Moolenaar.
Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi stated, “From DNA testing to a range of other diagnostic tools, biotechnology is only growing in importance, but it is essential that Americans reap those health benefits without our country’s adversaries harvesting our genetic information for their own ends."
"As a physician, retired Army Reserve colonel, and member of the Intelligence Committee, I believe it is incredibly important we protect American patients, hospital systems, and the U.S. biotechnology industry from exploitation by foreign adversaries like China," said Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M., Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.
BGI has engaged in the illicit collection of pregnant women’s DNA and conducted research with the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Liberation Army. The U.S. government has placed export control restrictions on BGI for its involvement in the genetic tracking of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang where genocide against the Uyghur people is ongoing.
