more than a decade ago, in some cases nearly two decades. The carriers have provided services during this time, with minimal oversight from Team Telecom.
The Subcommittee's Investigations
This investigation continues the Subcommittee's examination of national security issues involving China. During the 115th Congress, the Subcommittee highlighted China's leading role in the opioid crisis by investigating how illicit opioids like fentanyl are shipped from China to the United States through international mail. The Subcommittee held an initial oversight hearing on May 25, 2017, titled "Stopping the Shipment of Synthetic Opioids: Oversight of U.S. Strategy to Combat Illicit Drugs." On January 25, 2018, the Subcommittee held a second hearing and issued a bipartisan report titled "Combatting the Opioid Crisis: Exploiting Vulnerabilities in International Mail." On October 24, 2018, the President signed into law the Synthetic Trafficking & Overdose Prevention Act ("STOP Act"), legislation designed to assist law enforcement in identifying and stopping fentanyl being shipped into the United States.
In the current 116th Congress, on February 28, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing and issued a bipartisan report titled "China's Impact on the U.S. Education System." The Subcommittee examined China's propaganda efforts at U.S. colleges and universities through Confucius Institutes. The Chinese government funds Confucius Institutes and hires Chinese teachers to teach language and culture classes to students and non-student community members. Confucius Institute funding comes with strings that can compromise academic freedom. The Chinese government approves all teachers, events, and speakers. Some U.S. schools contractually agree that both Chinese and U.S. laws will apply. The Chinese teachers sign contracts with the Chinese government pledging they will not damage Chinese national interests. The Subcommittee found that these limitations export China's censorship of political debate to the United States and prevent the academic community from discussing topics that the Chinese government believes are politically sensitive. In addition, a number of U.S. schools have been prevented from opening American cultural and educational centers in China. The Subcommittee recommended that, absent full transparency regarding how Confucius Institutes operate and full reciprocity for U.S. cultural outreach efforts on college campuses in China, Confucius Institutes should not continue in the United States. Twenty-one Confucius Institutes have closed since the Subcommittee published its report.
The Subcommittee continued its review of China's influence in the United States this congress by examining China's talent recruitment plans. On November 18, 2019, the Subcommittee released a bipartisan report titled "Threats to the U.S. Research Enterprise: China's Talent Recruitment Plans." The Subcommittee also held a hearing related to China's talent recruitment programs on November 19,
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