Rep. Rogers Visa Security Bill Included in China Task Force Report

“China continuously uses students and spies to steal intellectual property from colleges and universities in the United States. It’s imperative we improve our ability to ensure sensitive information at our education and research institutions is protected from the Chinese, and that we have the proper safeguards in place,” Rogers said. “I want to thank Reps. Hartzler, Reschenthaler, Higgins and Joyce for joining this legislation to combat China’s mission to steal their way to the top.”

The CCTARI Act:

• Requires the American Science and Technology interagency working group to review the visa application, vetting, and screening process to improve our ability to identify and prevent individuals acting as intelligence collectors from entering the United States.
• Lays the groundwork for national security reviews of nonimmigrant aliens already in the U.S. who change their program of study or status to study in a sensitive field that would have triggered additional vetting before they entered the country.
• Improves existing reporting from schools and research institutions about which foreign nationals have access to sensitive technologies, research, and laboratories.
• Expands the scope of visa security screening and vetting to identify and further investigate likely foreign intelligence assets. Creates a joint DHS/State pilot to improve the quality of data available at consular posts to improve screening and vetting during the visa process.

Full bill text can be found here.

At a recent committee hearing on “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland,” Rogers asked FBI Director Christopher Wray about the prevalence of our adversaries trying to steal our intellectual property through our education systems, and how Congress could help prevent further attacks. In May, Rogers joined the top Republicans of seven committees to send a letter to the Secretary of Education “asking for information about the Chinese Communist Party’s investment in American colleges and universities to further its strategic and propaganda goals.”