(Bloomberg) -- House Republican leaders plan votes early next month on a series of measures targeting Chinese companies, including one that would bar federal contractors from doing business with five Chinese biotechnology firms.
The party leadership notified Republican congressional offices in an email Thursday to expect House votes on the Biosecure Act and other legislation aimed at Chinese companies when lawmakers return to work from their summer break on Sept. 9, according to several people who have seen the email.
Speaker Mike Johnson previewed some of the legislation in a speech last month, arguing that business relationships with Chinese biotech companies would leave federal contractors “beholden” to a US adversary and “endanger Americans’ health care data.”
Lawmakers in both parties have been raising alarm about economic and national security threats posed by China.
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The Biosecure Act passed the House Oversight Committee 40-1 in May and would affect five companies to start: BGI Group, MGI, Complete Genomics, WuXi AppTec, and WuXi Biologics. Bloomberg Intelligence rates the outlook for passage as high given strong support for the bill in both the House and the Senate.
Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, could put up a roadblock. Paul told Bloomberg in late July, shortly before the summer recess, that he would block quick passage of the legislation. That could delay or even stymie efforts to pass the measure unless Democrats decide to make it a major priority and chew up valuable Senate floor time. Senators have been considering adding the legislation to the chamber’s annual defense policy bill.
Backers of the bill have expressed concern that Chinese companies could grow to dominate the biotech space with potential effects on national security as well as the economy, and say American tax dollars should not finance the growth of Chinese tech.
The companies have argued they don’t pose a risk to any country’s national security and are focused on improving health innovation.
Lawmakers were also told to expect votes on other measures restricting business with Chinese companies, including legislation focusing on the Chinese supply chain for electric vehicles, according to the people.
Earlier this year, Congress passed legislation, signed into law by President Joe Biden, banning TikTok unless its Beijing-based parent, ByteDance Ltd., divests.
--With assistance from Mackenzie Hawkins and Alexander Ruoff.
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