Babin, McCormick Probe Foreign Influence in U.S. AI and Energy Policy

(Washington, D.C.) - Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick sent letters to the National Science Foundation (NSF), Indivisible Project, Sierra Club, 350?.org, and Oil Change International requesting information and documents concerning foreign funding, affiliations, and potential influence in U.S. artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure policy.

The letters raise concerns about reports that foreign-funded organizations and networks may be seeking to shape U.S. AI and energy policy, including organized opposition to the development of AI infrastructure such as data centers. The Committee is seeking to better understand the extent of foreign funding and coordination involving organizations engaged in these policy debates.

"Advancing AI capabilities and ensuring energy resilience are essential to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness," the Chairmen wrote.

Recent reporting cited in the letters identifies foreign funding received by U.S.-based organizations involved in energy and AI policy. An April 2026 report from the American Energy Institute found that 12 organizations actively opposing U.S. data center development had collectively received more than $39 million from foreign donors. A separate 2025 report from Americans for Public Trust identified nearly $2 billion in funding from five foreign charities to a network of organizations involved in U.S. energy and climate advocacy.

The letters also cite recent disclosures regarding foreign influence operations targeting the U.S. debate over AI infrastructure. On August 28, 2026, X Corp.'s Global Government Affairs team reported identifying approximately 200,000 suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts, including a subset that disseminated what X described as misleading claims about AI data centers and household electricity prices. The letters also reference a June 2026 report from OpenAI identifying PRC-linked influence operations targeting U.S. debates over AI and data center development.

To NSF Acting Director Brian Stone, the Chairmen request a briefing on NSF's efforts to identify, disclose, and mitigate the influence of foreign-affiliated NGOs on federally funded AI and energy research. The letter asks NSF to explain how it evaluates foreign affiliations and funding sources and whether existing authorities under the CHIPS and Science Act are sufficient to identify and address potential foreign influence.

The letters to Indivisible Project, Sierra Club, 350?.org, and Oil Change International request documents concerning foreign principals, foreign donors, funding relationships, communications, and activities related to opposition to AI and data center development. The requests also seek information concerning any legal analysis, registration statements, or internal determinations regarding the organizations' obligations, if any, under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

The Committee is seeking this information as part of its ongoing oversight of U.S. artificial intelligence and energy policy to determine whether foreign funding or coordination may be influencing research, advocacy, or policy discussions surrounding AI and energy infrastructure.

To read the full letter to NSF, please click here.

To read the full letter to Indivisible Project, please click here.

To read the full letter to Sierra Club, please click here.

To read the full letter to 350?.org, please click here.

To read the full letter to Oil Change International, please click here.<_o3a_p>

Permalink: https://republicans-science.house.gov/2026/9/babin-mccormick-probe-foreign-influence-in-u-s-ai-and-energy-policy