ser meaeeY Congress of the United States Be we a Bouse of Representatives ae Wiashington, DE 20515-8303 January 19, 2022 ‘The Honorable Merrick B. Garland United Siates Attorney General “The Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenve NW ‘Washington, D.C. 20530-0001 Dear Attomey General Garland, | write to you today over concerns regarding recent reports thatthe Department of Tustice is under pressure to end it efforts to root out potential Chinese espionage under the program known asthe China Initiative I strongly urge you to continue this program in onder to ensure that the Chinese Communist Parly (CCP) is not conducting any espionage efforts through our colleges and universities. ‘The CCP has along history of using American universities in oder to conduct espionage campaigns. These efforts are part ofthe Chinese government's Thousand Talents Program, hich seeks to use U.S. based academics and researchers to transmit any information they may hve in exchange for funding or slares.""These efforts by the CCP must be fally investigated and any U.S. academies who engage in these efforts must be prosecuted under the fallest extent of the law, ‘Over the past several years, we have seen several university professors with affiliations to the ‘Thousand Talents Program convicted and charged for concealing their affiliations to the Chinese ‘government As China continues to pursue advancements in military technology, such as hypersonic missles, it is imperative the Department of Justice pursue and hold accountable any individual who may be providing sensitive information to the Chinese government, along with ny individual who conceals their testo the CCP. While I understand thatthe Department of Justice has come under increased scrutiny over perceived xenophobia and anti-Chinese bias while conducting the China Initiative, the Department of Justice must continue to use all available evidence and information in order to accurately pursue those who may be conducting espionage. Terminating the China Initiative will * hese ge seat gorimafnedi/dc’2019--18Y620PSI2OStT2ORepon20- {720chins 420 Talen20Reartmet920PIans ple * tps: jose goveso-mapravard-nivesiy-profssr-onvited-making-false-satemensand- offenses‘only weaken our national security and allow China to produce further technofogicat enhancements that are stole from U.S, universities, Regarding 1) Does the Department of Justice plan to end the China Initiative? 2) Ifthere ate plans to cease the China Initiative, how does the Department of Justice plan to adress the issue of espionage in our colleges and universities? ation, 1 ask fora response tothe following questions: | appreciate your attention to this pressing mater: Sincerely, Sat batho Gregory F. Murphy, MD. Member of Congress