The House Oversight Committee held a hearing this week to address growing national security and privacy concerns surrounding the potential sale of genetic data held by embattled biotech company 23andMe, which recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Once valued in the billions, 23andMe is now facing scrutiny over what will happen to its database of genetic information from more than 15 million customers.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raised alarm over how that sensitive data might be handled during the company’s restructuring and potential sale.

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Former CEO Anne Wojcicki, who stepped down from her leadership role in March, appeared before the committee to answer questions regarding the company’s data protection policies, past security breaches, and its current obligations to customers who submitted DNA samples for genetic testing.

While the hearing primarily focused on data privacy and the implications of transferring such a large volume of American genetic data, some exchanges drew attention for highlighting the company’s political messaging under Wojcicki’s tenure.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), a freshman member of Congress, directed a series of pointed questions at Wojcicki concerning a 2021 post from the company’s official X account, which promoted gender identity pronoun usage during Pride Month.

“23andMe has really, over the past few years, gone out of its way to show how woke it is,” Gill stated.

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He presented a screenshot of the post, which featured a graphic listing multiple pronoun options including “he, him, she, her, ze, hir, xe, xem, fae, faer, e, em.”

The post read: “Science shows using correct pronouns can impact trans people’s health by significantly reducing their risk of depression and suicide. This is one of many reasons why we have been working to improve our product for trans and non-binary customers.”

Gill responded, “I just wanna ask you, what does ‘e’ mean as a pronoun?”

Wojcicki did not provide a specific definition in response but emphasized that the company aimed to be inclusive and supportive of all users.

The exchange occurred as lawmakers expressed bipartisan concerns that foreign entities — particularly those with ties to adversarial governments — could attempt to purchase 23andMe’s assets, including its vast collection of personal and genomic data.

Several members of the committee underscored the national security risks of such a transaction.

23andMe experienced a major data breach in October 2023, when a hacker accessed information from nearly 7 million users, including data on ethnicity, ancestry, and some health indicators.

The breach intensified regulatory scrutiny and customer backlash, further damaging the company’s credibility and accelerating its financial decline.

Committee members are now pressing for clear federal guidelines on how sensitive genetic data is handled during bankruptcy proceedings and are exploring whether existing laws provide sufficient protection in cases involving companies that collect biometric or medical information.

As the company’s future remains uncertain, watchdog groups and privacy advocates have warned that the sale or transfer of 23andMe’s data assets could set a precedent for other consumer DNA firms.

Lawmakers indicated that they intend to continue oversight and may introduce legislation to prevent such datasets from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries or unregulated third parties.

Wojcicki, who co-founded 23andMe in 2006, stated during the hearing that the company had always taken privacy seriously and implemented safeguards to prevent misuse of customer data.

However, several members of the committee expressed skepticism, citing past incidents and the need for tighter regulatory controls.

No formal action was announced following the hearing, but multiple lawmakers indicated that further testimony and investigation will continue in the coming weeks as Congress examines the broader implications of biometric data sales in bankruptcy cases.

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