Comer, Timmons Further Investigate National Security Risks in Science and Technology Research Sharing with China

WASHINGTON- House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs Chairman William Timmons (R-S.C.) are continuing their investigation into the significant gaps in the federal government's ability to monitor and track Science and Technology Agreements (STAs) between federal agencies and foreign governments, particularly China. In letters to the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Chairman Comer and Subcommittee Chairman Timmons request comprehensive assessments of the State Department's current capabilities and future needs to establish an effective process for tracking STA sub-agreements.

"While STAs serve as established instruments of diplomatic cooperation and scientific exchange, entering into such agreements with adversarial nations poses acute risks to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security due to intellectual property theft and information access manipulation," wrote the lawmakers. "In a response to a previous letter, the State Department acknowledged that there is a tracking mechanism for sub-agreements; however, the determinations of which sub-agreements are reported is at the discretion of the agency that enters into the sub-agreement. This process can result in underreporting sub-agreements to the Department of State if an agency incorrectly determines the significance of a sub-agreement."

On April 24, 2026, Chairman Comer and Subcommittee Chairman Timmons sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Michael DeSombre requesting written answers on the extent to which the Bureau for East Asian and Pacific Affairs is tracking STAs with China and any sub-agreements made between China and other federal agencies. Due to the lack of information sharing and ability to monitor STAs, the United States is unable to effectively track China's intentional exploitation of cooperative agreements and the national security risks this poses. China has frequently abused STAs between cooperating nations to violate intellectual property rights and patent agreements.

"The lack of proper oversight and tracking of STA sub-agreements between federal agencies and foreign governments poses a grave risk to U.S. economic and national security, underscoring the need for a centralized tracking and management system for said sub-agreements," concluded the lawmakers. "An independent review by [OIG] would provide Congress and the public with a clear understanding of how the Department can manage this process going forward as well as identify the risks associated with a continuation of the status quo. This request complements the Committee's request to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which is positioned to perform a multi-agency review."

Read the letter to the Department of State Office of Inspector General here.

Read the letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office here.