Ernst, Moolenaar Work with Pentagon to Safeguard Critical Tech from China
Summary
Press release dated November 17, 2025 in which Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Chair of the House Select Committee on China, report a letter to the Pentagon asking how Congress can help close loopholes and safeguard critical defense technology from China. The release says the Pentagon agreed that reforms are needed to the SBIR and STTR programs, including consistent foreign due diligence standards, as Ernst's INNOVATE Act would set. Its background section says a report released in May found that of 522 Pentagon applications flagged for foreign risk in 2023 and 2024, only 152 were denied. It adds that some agencies denied 100% of flagged applicants and others less than 1%.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Ernst, Moolenaar Work with Pentagon to Safeguard Critical Tech from China.”
Original at www.sbc.senate.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/committee-d9ff0d45838a2e06/
, SHA-256 438f26c46c63e8da0eccfeb21a9453395d249a3dbe64352c3cfb38f47289b3d2.Full text
Title: Ernst, Moolenaar Work with Pentagon to Safeguard Critical Tech from China Date: 2025-11-17 Ernst, Moolenaar Work with Pentagon to Safeguard Critical Tech from China November 17, 2025 Read the release on Sen. Ernst's website HERE. WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) asked the Pentagon how Congress can best help close existing loopholes and safeguard critical defense technology from China. The letter comes after the Pentagon agreed that reforms need to be made to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs by establishing consistent foreign due diligence standards across government, as Ernst’s INNOVATE Act does. “The Trump administration has a chance to reverse Biden-era policies and strengthen American research security. Our review has identified recommendations to address shortcomings in Pentagon policy, due diligence, training, and access to critical information. We stand ready to assist and are committed to ensuring 100% of taxpayer dollars for critical technology development serves our warfighters and America’s national interest,” wrote the lawmakers. Click here to view the letter. Background: Ernst released a report in May exposing that out of 522 applications at the Pentagon flagged for having a foreign risk in 2023 and 2024, only 152 applications were denied on the basis of that risk. Even worse, some agencies denied 100% of flagged applicants, while others denied less than 1%. These risks spanned from patent and employee analysis flags to flags concerning financial ownership or financial obligations. ### Permalink: https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/11/ernst-moolenaar-work-with-pentagon-to-safeguard-critical-tech-from-china
File and source
- File
- 2025-11-17_ernst-moolenaar-work-with-pentagon-to-safeguard-critical-tech.txt
- Size
- 2,031 bytes
- SHA-256
- 438f26c46c63e8da0eccfeb21a9453395d249a3dbe64352c3cfb38f47289b3d2
- Original
- www.sbc.senate.gov