Republicans and Democrats have agreed on something for once, working together on new legislation that protects foreign dissidents living on U.S. soil. The bill is specifically aimed at countering the growing influence of, and intimidation by, the Chinese Communist Party.
At a glance:
• House lawmakers have passed the SHIELD Against CCP Act to counter threats from the Chinese Communist Party
• The legislation creates a dedicated DHS working group to identify and counter CCP espionage and intellectual property theft
• Three additional bipartisan bills aim to combat “transnational repression” by authoritarian regimes like China and Iran
• The FBI Director has described the CCP as posing a “broad and unrelenting” threat to American interests
• The House Homeland Security Committee has documented over 60 cases of Chinese espionage and transnational repression since 2021
Bipartisan Effort to Shield America from CCP Threats
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to counter growing threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and protect American interests. The SHIELD Against CCP Act, co-led by Republican Congressman Dale Strong and Democrat Congressman Tom Suozzi, establishes a dedicated Department of Homeland Security working group specifically tasked with identifying and combating various threats posed by Beijing.
The legislation addresses a wide range of CCP activities including espionage, intellectual property theft, predatory economic practices, cybersecurity threats, and transnational repression. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray has repeatedly warned that the CCP poses a “broad and unrelenting” threat to the United States, targeting democracy advocates, ethnic minorities, and even American citizens.
“China is one of the biggest threats to our country, and they have taken every opportunity over the last four years to exploit Biden’s open borders,” said Rep. Strong. “This bill will ensure DHS has a dedicated team working to combat this threat head-on.”
The legislation comes as the CCP continues its aggressive campaign to promote authoritarianism worldwide while sowing chaos and division within the United States, and even targeting dissidents from China who now live in the United States.
House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green praised the bill, noting it “will ensure DHS prioritizes, monitors, and actively counters Beijing’s efforts to undermine our sovereignty, threaten American innovation, and spread its malign influence even in our own communities.”
Cracking Down on Foreign Repression on American Soil
House lawmakers have also reintroduced three additional bipartisan bills aimed at strengthening DHS against transnational repression by authoritarian regimes operating within U.S. borders. The term “transnational repression” refers to the tactics foreign actors like the CCP and Iranian regime use to silence Americans and dissidents through harassment, assault, attempted kidnapping, intimidation, and coercion.
The Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025 proposes establishing a specialized DHS office to monitor and analyze transnational repression threats. This new office would be required to submit annual reports to Congress for seven years, creating unprecedented accountability for foreign actors attempting to silence critics on American soil.
The Law Enforcement Support and Counter Transnational Repression Act aims to educate the public about these foreign threats while providing resources for victims. Meanwhile, the Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act requires DHS to equip local law enforcement with the training and tools needed to combat these sophisticated foreign operations.
China’s Growing Threat to American Freedom
So far, the House Homeland Security Committee has documented over 60 cases of Chinese espionage and transnational repression from January 2021 to February 2025 alone. Freedom House, a non-governmental organization that conducts research on democracy and political freedom, ranked China as the leading perpetrator of transnational repression in 2024.
These legislative efforts highlight growing concerns about the CCP’s targeting of U.S. citizens and residents, including the wrongful imprisonment of Congressman Suozzi’s constituent, Kai Li. The bipartisan nature of these bills demonstrates rare political unity in the face of what lawmakers from both parties recognize as a significant threat to American security and values.
“Chinese espionage is one of our country’s greatest threats,” Rep. Strong emphasized. “Protecting our innovations is critical to national security, and this legislation takes an important step in ensuring the integrity of DHS research.”
The package of bills represents one of the most comprehensive legislative efforts to date to counter Beijing’s influence operations on American soil. With unanimous House support, the legislation now awaits consideration in the Senate, where it is expected to receive similar bipartisan backing.
