Oversight Committee Seeks Information on U.S. Strategy in Antarctica Amid Rising Presence of Foreign Adversaries

WASHINGTON—The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is conducting oversight of the coordination between federal agencies tasked with advancing U.S. national interests and research priorities in Antarctica. In a letter to the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) requests a briefing to assess U.S. strategy in Antarctica and ensure that American interests remain safe and secure.

“The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is conducting oversight of the coordination of federal agencies in advancing national research and other priorities in Antarctica, including the U.S. Department of State’s and the U.S. Department of Defense’s respective approaches. Both agencies are integral to the longevity of a U.S. presence in Antarctica. However, with a recent increase in activity from both Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the region, the challenge of protecting America’s presence in the ATS and Antarctica grows more complex. The Committee requests a briefing regarding the State Department’s plans for the ATS and how the State Department and DoD assess the growing presence of foreign adversaries in the region—specifically the PRC and Russia,” wrote Chairman Comer.

China is rapidly expanding its presence in Antarctica, operating five research stations with a sixth set to open this year and is outpacing the United States, which maintains only three year-round facilities. Last year, the Committee’s investigation revealed the PRC is responsible for 90 percent of research security issues for all federally funded research. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) views Antarctica as a new strategic frontier, with ambitions to become a polar great power. DoD has warned that China’s growing Antarctic footprint likely supports military objectives and aligns with its broader effort to reshape the international order, potentially revising the Antarctic Treaty by 2048.

“The CCP admitted militaristic intentions in the polar region in a 2020 Science of Military Strategy textbook, which stated that ‘[m]ilitary-civilian mixing is the main way for great powers to achieve a polar military presence.’ Antarctica’s resources could also be exploited, as the continent is estimated to house around 500 billion tons of oil, 300 to 500 billion tons of natural gas, as well as a potential 135 billion tons of oil in the surrounding Southern Ocean. The Committee seeks more information to assess U.S. strategy in Antarctica and ensure that American interests remain safe and secure. The Committee therefore requests a staff-level, inter-agency briefing on this matter as soon as possible, but no later than September 2, 2025,” continued Chairman Comer.

Read the letter here.