U.S. - China Congressional Securitization Dataset

This dataset was assembled to support a systematic, cross-committee analysis of how and when U.S. congressional actors frame China as a security threat (“securitization”). Each row represents a discrete securitization message drawn from hearing transcripts, committee meetings, and other formal congressional documents. Manual coding variables capture both the conceptual issues under discussion—such as Currency Manipulation, Sci-Tech R&D, and Human Rights & Freedoms—and the type and intensity of the statement, ranging from neutral references through varying degrees of securitization to calls for specific policy actions. In addition to the coded statements, the dataset includes comprehensive actor and document metadata. For each message, it records the congressional term and exact date, member name, party affiliation, and home state (and district for House members). It also identifies the committee and chamber context—covering Finance; Ways & Means; Commerce, Science & Transportation; Science, Space & Technology; Health, Education, Labor & Pensions; and Education & the Workforce—and specifies the document type, whether a committee hearing, report, or other formal record. Covering the period from 2013 through 2024 and spanning five consecutive Congresses, the dataset provides a rich foundation for both quantitative and qualitative research. Scholars can use it to track frequency trends, compare securitization intensity across states or parties, and link threat narratives to member attributes. At the same time, detailed case-level entries allow deep dives into pivotal hearings or policy debates. This dataset serves as a valuable resource for studies in securitization theory, U.S. foreign-policy discourse, and China-U.S. relations.