Over the years, we’ve cataloged dozens of letters written by Congressional leaders to the Treasury Secretary, urging him or her to conduct CFIUS reviews on myriad matters. But it’s rare we see letters that bypass CFIUS and go right to the Secretary of War. Rare, but not unprecedented.
Back in 2022, Amazon and iRobot agreed to a merger that attracted antitrust scrutiny. The deal was scuttled in 2024, leading to a bankruptcy filing by iRobot. Now a robotics company tied to the Chinese government is looking to acquire the company, and Congressional leaders aren’t happy.
According to reports, a medical-device startup in Minnesota is being sabotaged by a Chinese investor seeking to take control of the company. Now a Congressional leader wants CFIUS to take a closer look. But is national security at stake, or just economic interests? Details and the letter are inside.
As we predicted three weeks ago, two U.S. Senators have “sounded the alarm” on the acquisition of gaming company Electronic Arts by a group that includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The Senators argue the deal has serious national security implications. Details, letter, related report inside.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) has asked the General Accountability Office to conduct a “comprehensive review” of critical U.S. foreign investment regimes, including CFIUS and FOCI. Of particular interest to the Senator: Third-party monitors. Details and the actual letter are inside.
A U.S. Senator has sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, requesting that the DoJ open a formal investigation into autonomous trucking company TuSimple for potential export control violations and “transfers of sensitive technology” to China. Details and the letter are inside.
The House Select Committee has sent a letter to SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, urging the Commission to delist Chinese companies that pose a risk to national security. A few days later, the Committee asked the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce to ban a Chinese robotics company from all U.S. institutions.
Last week, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent detailed inquiries to semiconductor manufacturing equipment CEOs about their activity in China. The letters included numerous questions on revenue, customer lists, compliance teams, and more. Details, letters inside.
Two weeks ago, the BIS proposed a rule addressing national security risks from Chinese hardware and software in automobiles. Now, a bipartisan group of Congressional leaders has sent a letter to Mexico’s new president, urging her to address the security threat posed by Chinese connected vehicles.
Two U.S. Representatives from Illinois have written a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asking that CFIUS review the acquisition of a grain terminal by one of China’s largest state-run food and agriculture companies. According to the letter, the firm now owns six locations across the U.S.
Last week, Congressional leaders from Kansas and Montana sent letters to the Biden Administration requesting that CFIUS review specific transactions in their states. Both deals involved investors or corporations tied to the Chinese Communist Party. Details, the letters, and context are inside.
The ranking members of three high-profile Senate finance and budget committees have sent an oversight inquiry to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen that raised concerns about how foreign governments could be skirting the CFIUS review process. Details and a copy of the letter are inside.
The House Select Committee has been busy. Last week alone, they held a “field hearing” in New York; disclosed an investigation into Wall Street firms; issued a subpoena regarding an unlicensed California lab; and penned a letter to Treasury Secretary Yellen regarding Gotion. Details inside.
It’s not uncommon for U.S. Congressional leaders to send letters to the Treasury Secretary, urging that CFIUS review a particular transaction. But its rare letters also get sent to the Departments of Justice, Commerce, State, the SEC, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Until now. Details, letters inside.
Experts say the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank has raised important questions regarding foreign investment and national security. Among them: Might SVB assets, or even FDIC rescue capital, end up in the hands of entities controlled by the People’s Republic of China? Insights inside.
As readers know, we try to track all letters sent by Congressional leaders to the Treasury Secretary regarding foreign investments. The latest communique, from a pair of outspoken U.S. Congressmen, involves a pending Chinese investment in GEO Semiconductor. Details inside.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) urged CFIUS “to immediately conduct a review” of changes to Twitter’s ownership, including the stake held by Saudi Arabia. But experts say CFIUS may not have jurisdiction. Insights and the letter are inside.
Citing “inaccuracies” in foreign investment data collected by the Department of Agriculture, more than 100 U.S. House Republicans have asked the Government Accountability Office to study foreign investment in U.S. farmland, and its impact on national security. Details and the letter are inside.
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Ranking Member on the House Financial Services Committee, is the latest to chime in on national-security reviews of outbound investments, urging the Biden Administration to avoid resorting to “unilateral measures.” Details, the letter, and others are inside.
In a letter to the chair of the Senate Banking Committee, three former national security officials have registered their concerns about the proposed Committee on National Critical Capabilities, which would oversee an “outbound” investment screening regime. Details and the letter are inside.