Ranking Member Tim Scott and House Financial Services Committee Vice Chair French Hill are seeking explanations after a cybersecurity breach at the U.S. Department of Treasury, reportedly sponsored by China. In correspondence to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, they expressed concerns about the department's security measures for federal information and requested a comprehensive briefing on the incident.

"We write regarding the major cybersecurity incident that the Department of the Treasury disclosed to the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees yesterday involving a China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat actor breaking into Treasury’s computer systems and remotely accessing information maintained by Treasury users," stated Ranking Member Scott and Congressman Hill. "This breach of federal government information is extremely concerning."

The letter underscores the sensitivity of data managed by the Treasury, including tax details, business ownership, and suspicious activity reports. The officials stressed that such information must be protected from foreign threats like those posed by "the Chinese Communist Party, who seek to harm the United States."

Scott and Hill emphasized that "the fact that a CCP-sponsored APT actor was able to access Treasury’s information systems is unacceptable" and urged for answers on how future incidents can be prevented.

They have asked for a detailed briefing from the Treasury Department by January 10, 2025.