The United States House Speaker Johnson (Mike Johnson) announced on Tuesday that John Moolenaar MP has been reappointed as the chairman of the “Committee to Counter China”.
In a statement issued on February 4th, Johnson emphasized the “critical importance” of the work being carried out by the “Committee to Counter China”. He also commended the work of the committee’s chairman, John Moolenaar.
Johnson stated, “By serving principled in Congress, John has earned the respect of colleagues from both parties in the House, and we are pleased to announce that the committee’s work will continue under his leadership in the crucial 119th Congress.”
After Congressman Mike Gallagher left office in April 2024, Moolenaar took over as the chairman of the “Committee to Counter China”.
On January 3, 2025, the House of Representatives voted to confirm the continuation of the “Committee to Counter China”. The committee was established in January 2023 to address the “strategic competition” between the United States and China.
Since its inception, the committee has introduced a series of bills related to China, including measures to review Chinese investments, prevent Chinese companies from obtaining US tax incentives, promote the divestment of certain assets related to China, support Taiwan’s international space, sanction TikTok, reduce China’s dominant position in the supply of critical minerals, and pressure China on forced labor in the Xinjiang region.
On January 23, Moolenaar and Congressman Tom Suozzi, co-chair of the Congressional “Uyghur Caucus”, reintroduced a bill to revoke Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) granted to mainland China by the United States and impose tariffs on goods from mainland China.
Simultaneously, Senators Tom Cotton, Jim Banks, and Josh Hawley reintroduced a complementary bill in the Senate.
In addition to legislative work, the committee’s advocacy on China-related issues includes calls for tightening chip restrictions, protecting US photonics chip technology from Chinese threats and competition, designating certain entities as “Chinese military companies”, and restricting US biotechnology companies from collaborating with entities associated with the Chinese military on clinical trials.
As of Tuesday, in addition to Moolenaar, Johnson has appointed 12 Republican House members to join the committee, including four new members.
The appointment of Democratic members of the committee will be announced after negotiations between Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
In a statement, Moolenaar expressed gratitude for Speaker Johnson’s support and pledged to promote policies that “maintain America’s strength and security” in the face of the escalating challenges to our national security posed by China.
“China represents the most significant national and economic security threat of our time,” Moolenaar said, “We are redoubling our efforts to combat China’s increasingly expanding influence globally, protecting our freedoms and way of life.”