Congress Probes NASA Funding for China Collaboration

Lawmakers question agency's oversight of grants involving Chinese entities

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Congress is investigating NASA over the agency's funding of research projects that involved collaboration with Chinese entities, including those with ties to China's nuclear weapons program. Lawmakers are pressing NASA on whether proper procedures were followed to allow such collaborations under the Wolf Amendment, which bans bilateral cooperation between NASA-funded researchers and Chinese entities.

Why it matters

The investigation highlights growing concerns among U.S. policymakers about the potential risks of academic collaboration between American and Chinese researchers, which could enable the transfer of sensitive technology to China. Congress is scrutinizing NASA's grant-making process to ensure federally funded research does not inadvertently benefit China's military or security interests.

The details

Senators Chuck Grassley and Rep. John Moolenaar are focusing on the work of Stanford professor Wendy Mao, who received NASA funding for 31 research projects involving affiliates of a Chinese entity on the U.S. Entity List. Mao also held a position at that Chinese state research institute while conducting the NASA-funded work. The lawmakers are seeking information on whether Mao obtained the required FBI waiver to collaborate with the Chinese entity, as well as broader data on NASA's handling of the Wolf Amendment restrictions.

  • In December 2025, the Stanford Review documented Mao's ties to Chinese state research entities.
  • Since fiscal year 2015, Grassley and Moolenaar are requesting data on the number of Wolf Amendment waiver requests filed with the FBI, their outcomes, and whether the FBI has briefed NASA on potential violations.

The players

Sen. Chuck Grassley

A Republican senator from Iowa who is pressing NASA on its funding of research involving Chinese entities.

Rep. John Moolenaar

A Republican congressman from Michigan who is co-leading the investigation into NASA's oversight of grants related to China collaboration.

Wendy Mao

A Stanford University professor who received NASA funding for research projects involving affiliates of a Chinese entity on the U.S. Entity List, while also holding a position at that Chinese state research institute.

Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR)

A Chinese state research entity that has appeared on the Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List since 2020 and is affiliated with China's nuclear weapons program.

University of Science and Technology of China

A state-run Chinese university where Mao collaborated with a researcher while receiving NASA funding.

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What they’re saying

“The publication lists only Stanford and Chinese co-authors yet explicitly acknowledges NASA funding, which — absent an FBI-certified congressional waiver — raises questions about potential violations of the Wolf Amendment.”

— Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. John Moolenaar (Washington Examiner)

What’s next

Grassley and Moolenaar have requested a trove of information from NASA, including records related to Mao's work, whether NASA sought a Wolf Amendment waiver, comprehensive data on the agency's research grants, and how NASA has navigated issues related to the Wolf Amendment.

The takeaway

This investigation underscores the heightened scrutiny of academic collaborations between American and Chinese researchers, amid concerns that such partnerships could enable the transfer of sensitive technology to China. Congress is pressing NASA to ensure its grant-making process adequately safeguards against the misuse of federally funded research by entities linked to China's military or security interests.