<>“We can’t let our research and technology fall into the hands of China’s brutal dictatorship. The Department must dramatically increase its efforts to protect our research from our adversaries.”
<>
<>Click here to watch Senator Barrasso’s opening remarks.
<>
Senator Barrasso’s remarks:
<>“Well said Mr. Chairman. Thank you for holding today’s very important hearing.
<>“Research into advanced computing is critical – critical to maintaining America’s economic growth, our national security, and our leadership in the world.
<>“The Department of Energy – through its network of 17 national labs – plays a very key role in all of those innovations.
<>“The Department has some of the most advanced computing systems in the world.
<>“In fact, the Department has the world’s two fastest supercomputers and a third supercomputer among the world’s top ten.
<>“These systems have pioneered advances in artificial intelligence and in quantum computing.
<>“These are two fields that the People’s Republic of China does seek to dominate.
<>“For this reason, China is watching nearly every move that our national labs make.
<>“Our labs are under constant surveillance by a branch of China’s intelligence network that focuses on science and technology.
<>“This branch alone consists of about one hundred thousand agents.
<>“Beginning under Chairman Mao, this intelligence network has supported the development of China’s nuclear weapons, its missile, and its satellite programs.
<>“And its mission remains the same today – target foreign technologies useful to the Chinese Communist regime, and acquire them by any means possible.
<>“America’s open research environment is the envy of the world.
<>“It has fostered our greatest scientific achievements.
<>“Yet it is a rich target for China and other adversaries.
<>“As stated by the National Academy of Sciences, the integrity of research is based on the values of ‘objectivity, honesty, openness, fairness, accountability, and stewardship.’
<>“Contrast this with the view of China’s President Xi Jinping.
<>“He recently described science and technology development as a contest to be won.
<>“He stated, ‘The initiatives of innovation and development must be securely kept in our own hands.’
<>“And, ‘whoever holds the key to innovation makes an offensive move,’ he said, ‘in [this] chess game…and will be able to take the lead and win the advantages.’
<>“A 2022 report, titled ‘The Los Alamos Club,’ by Strider Technologies is telling and I have a copy of a report here, mister chairman.
<>“It says between 1987 and 2021, the Chinese Communist Party targeted over 160 Chinese nationals working at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
<>“Upon returning to China, these researchers helped them advance key military technologies using knowledge financed by us, by the American taxpayers.
<>“Today, thousands of non-U.S. resident, Chinese nationals still work at our national labs.
<>“And I believe the majority of these foreign nationals strive to further scientific innovation and collaborate in good faith.
<>“Yet make no mistake.
<>“They are beholden to an authoritarian regime.
<>“And the Chinese Communist Party is ruthless.
<>“Some of these Chinese nationals will see no other choice but to support the Chinese Communist Party through theft of American research and technology – because if they do not comply, their families back in China may be punished.
<>“Others will be tempted through bribery.
<>“Earlier this year, a Chinese national and former software engineer at Google was arrested for stealing on behalf of a Chinese firm, which was paying him secretly.
<>“The U.S. Justice Department has charged this individual with stealing software used to ‘orchestrate’ Google’s supercomputers at the ‘cutting edge of machine learning and A.I. technology.’
<>“In 2020, Congress required the Department of Energy to devise a study of counterintelligence efforts at our national labs.
<>“The Department hired MITRE – a government contractor – to conduct this study.
<>“In April of 2023, MITRE produced an unclassified report.
<>“Upon receiving the report, the Secretary of Energy then decided to classify it.
<>“The Secretary reassigned the Director of the Department’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence without explanation.
<>“I have asked the Department to declassify the MITRE report and for the Department to come clean with the American people.
<>“The U.S. Department of Energy has refused.
<>“One can draw many different conclusions from the Department’s stonewalling.
<>“The Department may simply want to hide its failures from the public.
<>“Whatever the reason, it is clear that the Department of Energy and our national labs have failed to take the China threat seriously.
<>“Mr. Chairman, we can’t let our research and technology fall into the hands of China’s brutal dictatorship.
<>“The Department must dramatically increase its efforts to protect our research from our adversaries.
<>“And Congress must step in if the Department fails to do its job.
<>“Thank you again Mr. Chairman for calling this important hearing.
<><>“I look forward to today’s testimony.”