releases: https://www.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/portman-statement-former-nationwide-childrens-researcher-and-chinese-0
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
This data as json
| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/portman-statement-former-nationwide-childrens-researcher-and-chinese-0 | Portman Statement on Former Nationwide Childrens Researcher and Chinese Talents Program Member Pleading Guilty for Alleged Theft of Scientific Trade Secrets and Wire Fraud | 2020-12-15 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Republican | Senate | OH | Rob Portman | P000449 | www.portman.senate.gov | legacy | Portman Statement on Former Nationwide Children's Researcher and Chinese Talents Program Member Pleading Guilty for Alleged Theft of Scientific Trade Secrets and Wire Fraud December 15, 2020 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, DC Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) issued the following statement after John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Chris Hoffman, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)announcedthata former Nationwide Children's Hospital's Research Institute researcher pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal scientific trade secrets and commit wire fraud while receiving benefits from the Chinese government.The researcher's wife previously pleaded guilty to the same crimes in July 2020. Senator Portman, as Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI), led a year-long investigation into China's talent recruitment programs like the Thousand Talents Program, culminating in abipartisan reportin November 2019 that detailed how China has recruited U.S.-based scientists and researchers since the late 1990s and incentivized them to transfer U.S. taxpayer-funded research and IP to China for their own military and economic gain. This case followsthe string of arrestsof academics affiliatedwithAmerican universities for alleged crimes related to their participation in China's talent recruitment programs while accepting American taxpayer-funded grant funding. Earlier this year, Portman introduced the bipartisanSafeguarding American Innovation Actto protect American research and IP from global competitors. BothFBI Director WrayandAttorney General Barr, havespoken about the threat to American taxpayer-funded research and intellectual property from foreign governments, particularly China, which would be addressed by this legislation. I'm pleased that our committee investigation and resulting report last year continues to spur action by federal law enforcement to hold China accountable.For too long, China has exploited the lack of transparency in our education system to steal our taxpayer-funded research and innovation.I commend U.S. Attorney DeVillers and the DOJ for their work to stop another alleged member of China's talent programs, adding to the string of arrests that have been announced this year. This case further underscores the need for my bipartisan legislation to safeguard American innovation, hold countries like China accountable for their actions, and ensure our world-class research enterprise is protected here in America. I am encouraged by the actions taken by DOJ and the FBI to stop the exploitation of the openness and transparency of our research enterprise.China's ongoing theft of America's research and innovation must stop. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |