What This Bill Does
H.R. 1468 would create a new Department of Justice program called the CCP Initiative inside the National Security Division. Its goal is to curb spying, trade secret theft, hacking, economic espionage, and technology transfer involving the Chinese Communist Party, the People’s Republic of China, or agents acting on their behalf. The bill also directs DOJ to coordinate with the FBI and other agencies, review China-related investment risks, and report annually to Congress for 6 years. It does not create a new grant or benefit program; it is mainly an enforcement and coordination measure focused on national security, businesses, universities, and critical infrastructure.
- Creates a new Department of Justice "CCP Initiative" in the National Security Division.
- Directs DOJ to target trade secret theft, hacking, economic espionage, and technology transfer tied to PRC-linked actors.
- Requires coordination with the FBI and other federal agencies on China-related cases and investments.
- Mandates an annual report to Congress, including data on resources, investigations, AI, drones, and economic losses.
- Sunsets 6 years after enactment.
Who This Bill Affects
For most people, this bill would not change daily life directly, but it could affect the security of jobs, local employers, universities, and public infrastructure by pushing DOJ to pursue trade secret theft, hacking, and foreign-investment risks more aggressively. If you work in research, defense contracting, advanced manufacturing, or a company that handles sensitive technology, you could see more federal scrutiny and more reporting around foreign contacts, investments, and data security. For the general public, the practical benefit would be indirect protection against stolen innovations and some infrastructure threats, balanced against the possibility of tighter screening and enforcement.
See how this bill affects you — sign in for a personalized analysisCBO Cost Estimate
May 27, 2026CBO published a cost estimate on May 27, 2026 for H.R. 1468, the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on March 26, 2026. Because the full estimate text was not provided, detailed budget effects should be read in the linked CBO report.
Full CBO report →Who Supports & Opposes This
- Technology companies and patent-dependent businesses They would likely support stronger federal enforcement against trade secret theft and hacking because stolen designs, software, and proprietary know-how can damage competitiveness and lead to lost revenue or layoffs.
- Universities and research security officials They may back the bill’s focus on nontraditional collectors and academic institutions because it gives DOJ a framework to investigate covert technology transfer and protect sensitive research.
- Defense contractors and critical infrastructure operators They have an interest in the bill’s attention to supply chain compromises, insider threats, and foreign direct investment risks that could expose sensitive systems or create security vulnerabilities.
- Civil liberties and due process advocates They may worry that the bill’s broad references to PRC-based individuals, affiliated entities, and agents could encourage overbroad investigations or profiling, especially in research and academic settings.
- Universities and international collaboration stakeholders They may argue that heightened scrutiny could chill legitimate academic partnerships, foreign student collaboration, and open scientific exchange that are important to innovation.
- Foreign investors and cross-border dealmakers They could object that more DOJ coordination and review of PRC-related investments may add uncertainty, delay transactions, and increase compliance costs for legitimate business deals.
Key Implications
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““There is established in the National Security Division of the Department of Justice the CCP Initiative””
This creates a dedicated DOJ effort rather than a temporary task force. In practice, it means more sustained federal attention on China-linked espionage and investment risks.
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““curb spying by the CCP on United States intellectual property and academic institutions””
The bill explicitly extends beyond corporations to universities and research environments. That could mean more scrutiny of collaborations, labs, and technology transfer pathways.
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““resources shall be set aside for the CCP Initiative””
DOJ would have to reserve personnel and funding for this initiative. The trade-off is that those resources generally cannot be repurposed for other nation-state threat programs except in exceptional circumstances.
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““submit annually a written report, with a classified annex as necessary””
Congress would get yearly updates on the initiative’s progress, spending, and intelligence findings. The classified annex suggests some of the most sensitive details would not be public.
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““This Act shall ... cease to be in effect ... 6 years after””
The initiative is time-limited. Unless Congress renews it, the program would automatically expire six years after enactment.
Latest Status
June 15, 2026
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 607.
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Ask AI about this billData sourced from api.congress.gov.