Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-2894
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
Introduced: 2023-09-21
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Asia

China

Congressional oversight

Homeland security

International scientific cooperation

Research and development

Scientific communication
Latest action: action_date: 2023-09-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-09-21
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill requires the Department of State to notify Congress regarding science and technology agreements with China. Any existing agreement is revoked unless the State Department notifies Congress regarding the agreement no later than 60 days after enactment of this bill. The State Department must notify Congress 30 days prior to entering, renewing, or extending any science and technology agreement with China. A notification shall contain (1) the full text of the agreement, (2) a written justification for the agreement, (3) an assessment of the risks and potential effects of the agreement, (4) and a detailed justification for how the State Department intends to address human rights concerns arising from the agreement's scientific and technology collaboration.</p><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,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-->

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2894 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 21, 2023 Mr. Ricketts (for himself, Mr. Risch , Mr. Scott of South Carolina , Mrs. Fischer , Mr. Rubio , Mr. Cornyn , Mr. Young , Mrs. Britt , Ms. Ernst , Mr. Daines , Ms. Lummis , Mr. Lankford , Mr. Tillis , Mr. Cruz , Mr. Budd , and Mr. Romney ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to require certain congressional notification prior to entering into, renewing, or extending a science and technology agreement with the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act of 2023 . 2. Enhanced congressional notification regarding science and technology agreements with the People’s Republic of China (a) Notification required Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 ( 22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 64. Congressional notification regarding science and technology agreements with the People’s Republic of China (a) Notification required The Secretary of State may not enter into, renew, or extend any science and technology agreement with the People’s Republic of China until— (1) the Secretary submits to the appropriate congressional committees a notification containing each of the matters described in subsection (b); and (2) a period of not less than 30 days has elapsed following such submission. (b) Matters described The matters described in this subsection are, with respect to the science and technology agreement for which the notification is submitted, the following: (1) A written notice of such agreement, including the full text of such agreement. (2) A detailed justification for such agreement, including an explanation as to why such agreement is in the national security interests of the United States. (3) An assessment of the risks and potential effects of such agreement, including any potential for the transfer under such agreement of technology or intellectual property capable of harming the national security interests of the United States. (4) A detailed justification for how the Secretary intends to address human rights concerns in any scientific and technology collaboration proposed to be conducted under such agreement. (5) An assessment of the extent to which the Secretary will be able to continuously monitor the commitments made by the People’s Republic of China under such agreement. (6) Such other information relating to such agreement as may be determined appropriate. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. (2) Science and technology agreement The term science and technology agreement means any treaty, memorandum of understanding, or other contract or agreement between the United States and one or more foreign countries for the purpose of collaborating on or otherwise engaging in joint activities relating to scientific research, technological development, or the sharing of scientific or technical knowledge or resources between such countries. . (b) Applicability (1) In general The requirements under section 64 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to science and technology agreements entered into, renewed, or extended on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. (2) Existing agreements Any science and technology agreement between the Secretary of State and the People’s Republic of China in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act shall be revoked unless, not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State submits to the appropriate congressional committees a notification of such agreement containing each of the matters described in subsection (b) of such section 64. (3) Definitions In this subsection, the terms appropriate congressional committees and science and technology agreement have the meanings given such terms in subsection (c) of such section 64.