EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) sent a letter to the Justice Department urging it to investigate China’s involvement in the energy and environment sector of the United States.
Gooden was joined by nine of his Republican colleagues to express their concern about China’s manipulation of energy and environmental policy through providing financial support to certain nonprofit organizations. The letter, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, expresses concerns that foreign governments are helping to fund campaigns that could undermine U.S. energy and infrastructure.
China’s “goal of infiltrating U.S. climate narratives has blurred the lines of advocacy and philanthropy by creating indirect financial support routed through third-party groups to mask their origin and avoid public scrutiny,” reads the letter, obtained by the Washington Examiner. “In turn, lobbying efforts are steered to advance Chinese interests, such as promoting policies that increase U.S. dependence on Chinese green technology.”
The Republicans argue in the letter that China advocates the transition to clean energy in sectors where the communist country dominates, such as wind, solar, and electric vehicle technologies. It also mentions the Energy Foundation, which is a network of climate-focused organizations, alleging it took millions of dollars to fund climate initiatives in the U.S. while operating out of Beijing, going on to say that one of the groups engaged with the Biden administration frequently.
“The PRC’s covert interference in U.S. policy making poses an existential threat to the America First Agenda,” Gooden said in a statement. “American energy policy should be determined by the American people — not by CCP front groups disguised as environmental activists.”
EVERY HOUSE REPUBLICAN, BAR ONE, VOTES TO RELEASE EPSTEIN FILES
The lawmakers ask the DOJ to investigate the possible use of nongovernmental organizations for any signs of foreign influence regarding undisclosed foreign donations to U.S. climate advocacy groups, foreign-funded campaigns that have influenced federal or state decisions in the energy sector, violations of federal or state disclosure laws for political activities by foreign entities, and any coordination between nonprofit groups and foreign agents.
China’s National Energy Administration announced Wednesday that it will exponentially push renewable energy over the next five years. China’s wind and solar operations have already doubled from 2021 to 2024 and have continued growing into 2025. The Renewable Energy Institute reported that China had 18% growth in wind capacity and a 45% increase in solar capacity in 2024.