On Monday, August 11th, 2026, the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party issued a public call inviting American students, postdoctoral researchers, and academics to report if they believe they were denied research positions, laboratory opportunities, or postdoctoral appointments in favor of applicants from China. The committee urged those with first-hand information or supporting documentation to contact it via a whistle-blower email.

This appeal, led by a Republican congressional committee focused on US-China competition, drew significant backlash. Critics warned that singling out Chinese applicants could exacerbate anti-Chinese sentiment. Kaiser Kuo, host of The Sinica Podcast, condemned the move as a "disgrace," stating on social media: "Really? THIS is what they’re worried about? … At a time when racial profiling is driving talent away from American shores and harming US competitiveness, they want to stir up anti-Chinese grievance?"

The US House panel was criticized for its approach, highlighting tensions around academic hiring and geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China.

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