Committee advances Moolenaar amendment to defense, energy appropriations bills

An amendment offered by U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2024 budget that would prohibit the DOE from awarding any research funding or contracts to companies that partner with adversaries of the United States received approval on June 22 from the U.S. House Appropriations Committee.

The committee passed the amendment during its markup of the Fiscal Year 2024 Defense and Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bills, which advanced to the full U.S. House of Representatives for action. 

“We cannot allow the recipients of taxpayer dollars to receive grants for battery research and then turn around and work with China-based companies,” said Rep. Moolenaar, a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. 

“Our country is in a competition against the Chinese Communist Party, and we must have guardrails that protect our research dollars, our intellectual property, and the innovation funded by hardworking men and women who pay taxes,” the congressman said. “Companies like Gotion, which is based in China, have no business receiving federal funding.”

In March, Gotion North America Vice President Chuck Thelen said that the company is under contract with the DOE through the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium. Gotion is a subsidiary of China-based Gotion High Tech, according to information provided by Rep. Moolenaar’s staff.