9 House Republicans Vote Against Bill Requiring Background Checks to Small Business Programs Exploited by China

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) speak at a news conference on Republican lawmakers' response to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2022. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Nine House Republicans voted on Sept. 29 against passing a bill that would require federal agencies to do background checks on companies that are seeking government funds through small business programs while having ties to foreign nations deemed a national security risk, including China.

The bill is titled the SBIR and STTR Extension Act and passed Thursday in a 415–9 vote. Changes made to the bill aim to ensure that foreign countries of concern cannot access national security-related technology.