Congressmen: NASA's Ames Research Center may have shared secret technology with China

Two congressman, including one from Texas, contend that NASA employees in California may have given technology secrets to other countries, including China.

As first reported by Aviation Week, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, and Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-Virginia, have charged in a letter to the FBI that senior NASA leadership may have been involved in leaking classified information to China and other countries.

The charges involve the NASA Ames Research Center in California and apparently do not include operations in Houston.

According to Aviation Week, the congressmen, who are chairmen of the two House committees with NASA oversight, also contend a federal criminal probe into the charges was dropped under political pressure.

The Washington Times is reporting that the FBI has investigated the Ames Research Center for four years on the possible transfer of secret weapon-system technology to other countries, including China. Smith and Wolf cited unnamed sources accusing Ames Center employees of possibly violating International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

The congressmen made the charges in two letters dated Feb. 8 - one to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, the other to the Justice Department's inspector general, Michael Horowitz, the Washington Times reported.

Smith is chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, while Wolf is chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on commerce, justice and science, which funds the Justice Department, FBI and NASA, according to the Washington Times.

The congressmen are asking the Justice Department's inspector general to investigate whether "political pressure may be a factor."

The Washington Times reported that a spokesman at Ames referred questions to NASA headquarters, which declined to comment.