Welcome to Womble Perspectives, where we explore a wide range of topics, from the latest legal updates to industry trends to the business of law. Our team of lawyers, professionals and occasional outside guests will take you through the most pressing issues facing businesses today and provide practical and actionable advice to help you navigate the ever changing legal landscape.
With a focus on innovation, collaboration and client service, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our clients and to the communities we serve. And now our latest episode.
On April 29, 2024, Chairman John Moolenaar, head of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, outlined his agenda for the committee's main focus areas during his time at the helm. Through a new video and an Op-ed, he shed light on key issues like keeping Taiwan safe, putting a stop to the fentanyl trade, securing American tech and supply chains, and making sure CCP proxies can't harass folks here in the U.S.
Moolenaar has his sights set particularly on how intertwined we are with China when it comes to supplies—especially noticing how Chinese manufacturers have a tight grip on lithium batteries for electric cars. He's talking about taking a close look at our supply chain's vital parts to lessen our reliance on the CCP, pointing out, "We will examine the most critical areas of our supply chain so we can reduce our dependence on the CCP."
Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Select Committee’s Ranking Member, in a chat with Roll Call, highlighted some past successes and future plans. He mentioned a straightforward proposal, referring to it as a "no-brainer bill," aimed at stopping federal research dollars from ending up in the pockets of U.S. companies that then go on to hire Chinese biotech firms.
Krishnamoorthi also touched on efforts to draft laws preventing U.S. investment outfits from backing Chinese tech and defense sectors. Plus, there's a keen eye on how China tries to sway foreign elections, including those in Taiwan.
Last month, our Congressional Investigations team at Womble Bond Dickinson shared their predictions for what to expect from the Select Committee. In the alert, they accurately foresaw that critical minerals, electric vehicles (EVs), and the supply chain would be hot topics ripe for bipartisan work and action.
Links to the article for today's episode and the article just mentioned can be found in the show notes.
Thank you for listening to Womble Perspectives. If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, please visit the show notes where you can find links to related resources mentioned today.
The show notes also have more information about our attorneys who provided today's insights, including ways to reach out to them. Don't forget to subscribe via your podcast player of choice so that you never miss an episode. Thank you again for listening.