Rep. Jim McGovern, a prominent Democratic congressman from Massachusetts, announced on Friday that he will vote against a bill aimed at restricting business with several Chinese biotech companies, including WuXi Biologics and BGI, on national security grounds. McGovern, the ranking member of the House Rules Committee, is also lobbying fellow lawmakers to join him in opposing the legislation, known as the Biosecure Act, which is scheduled for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday.
McGovern’s opposition stems from concerns about the lack of transparency in how companies were included in the bill. WuXi Biologics, which is currently building a facility in McGovern’s district, was one of the companies targeted in the legislation. According to McGovern, he has not received a clear explanation for why the company was added to the list, making him question the bill’s merits.
The Biosecure Act seeks to restrict federal contracts with companies like WuXi Biologics, BGI, WuXi AppTec, and others that supporters claim pose a national security risk. Proponents of the legislation argue that it is necessary to protect Americans’ personal health data, genetic information, and safeguard U.S. pharmaceutical supply chains from foreign influence, particularly from Chinese companies. A spokesperson for the House Select Committee on China cited these companies’ ties to the Chinese Communist Party as a key concern.
Despite these arguments, McGovern, who has been a vocal critic of China’s human rights abuses, believes the bill falls short. He acknowledged that companies providing sensitive information to the Chinese government is a legitimate issue, but labeled the bill as “lousy” and poorly constructed. McGovern also criticized the fast-tracked voting process, which limits debate, blocks amendments, and requires a two-thirds majority for passage.
The companies named in the bill, including WuXi Biologics, BGI, and WuXi AppTec, deny any threat to U.S. national security and argue that they should not be subject to the proposed restrictions.
For the Biosecure Act to become law, it must pass both the House and Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden. As the vote approaches, McGovern’s opposition raises questions about the bill’s path forward and the potential impact on U.S. businesses and national security.
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