US Congressman Krishnamoorthi to Step Down From China Panel Leadership

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Indian American Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi announced Monday that he will step down later this month as ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, concluding a three-year tenure that spanned the panel’s formative years.

“I have informed Leader Hakeem Jeffries of my intention to step down as Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party later this month,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement.

Krishnamoorthi thanked Democratic Leader Jeffries for appointing him to the role, calling the decision to select “the first South Asian American to ever lead a Congressional Committee, as Chair or Ranking Member,” part of Jeffries’ “enduring legacy.”

“I am deeply grateful for the confidence Leader Hakeem Jeffries placed in me to lead House Democrats on this Committee for the past three years,” he said.

He also expressed appreciation to fellow lawmakers who served on the committee during the 118th and 119th Congresses, noting that the panel’s work often carried “significant national and global consequences.” While acknowledging policy disagreements, Krishnamoorthi said members “consistently found ways to collaborate, seek common ground, and focus on strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness and security.”

Praising his colleagues’ “rigour, humility, and an unwavering sense of purpose,” Krishnamoorthi said the committee’s work extended beyond confronting challenges posed by the Chinese Communist Party to advancing policies that “unlock American innovation, protect workers and consumers, and ensure that the United States remains the world’s leading economic and technological power.”

“I am proud of what we accomplished together,” he added, citing the creation of what he described as a “credible, bipartisan Committee” focused on strengthening U.S. economic and national security while keeping competitiveness at the center of its mission. He pointed to efforts to protect American innovation, secure critical supply chains, counter forced labor and economic coercion, and prevent U.S. capital and technology from being used in ways that undermine national security or values.

Describing China as presenting “among the defining tests of our time” across economic, technological, and military domains, Krishnamoorthi said addressing the challenge requires “nuance and seriousness,” along with “practical and enforceable policy solutions” and a commitment to competitiveness “without succumbing to fear or prejudice.”

“I am confident that Leader Jeffries will make an excellent decision in appointing my successor,” he said, adding that he looks forward to working with the new appointee to ensure Democrats on the committee continue advancing policies that allow the United States to “compete and win while remaining firmly grounded in the values that define us.”

Krishnamoorthi is currently running for the U.S. Senate. If elected, he would become the first Indian American to serve in the chamber.

The House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party was established to examine and respond to long-term strategic challenges posed by China, with a focus on economic, technological, and national security issues. (Source: IANS)