United States Research Protection Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-769
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Introduced: 2025-02-27
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Employee hiring

International scientific cooperation

Research administration and funding
Latest action: action_date: 2025-07-22
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 123.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-02-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>United States Research Protection Act of 2025</strong></p><p>This bill clarifies the definition of a&nbsp;<em>malign foreign talent recruitment program</em> under the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act.<em>&nbsp;</em></p><p>The Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act, which was included in the CHIPS and Science Act, prohibits researchers who receive federal funds from participating in malign foreign talent recruitment programs, in which foreign countries incentivize or compensate researchers for activities that present a conflict&nbsp;of&nbsp;interest for the researcher or that are otherwise unauthorized (e.g., sharing proprietary information without proper authorization).</p><p>The bill clarifies that these restrictions apply to programs that are sponsored by a foreign country of concern, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The bill also clarifies that malign foreign talent recruitment programs may involve direct or indirect compensation or incentives from such&nbsp;countries.</p>

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 123 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 769 [Report No. 119–45] IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 27, 2025 Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Mr. Padilla , and Mr. Curtis ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation July 22, 2025 Reported by Mr. Cruz , without amendment A BILL To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to clarify the definition of foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the United States Research Protection Act of 2025 . 2. Clarification of definition of foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction Paragraph (4) of section 10638 of title VI of division B of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 19237 ) is amended— (1) by inserting of concern after foreign country each place such term appears; (2) by striking means— and all that follows through any program, position, or activity and inserting means any program, position, or activity ; (3) by striking subparagraph (B); (4) by redesignating clauses (i) through (ix) as subparagraphs (A) through (I), respectively, and moving such subparagraphs, as so redesignated, two ems to the left; (5) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking directly provided and inserting whether directly or indirectly provided ; and (6) in subparagraph (I), as so redesignated, by striking ; and and inserting a period.

July 22, 2025 Reported without amendment

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 769 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 27, 2025 Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Padilla ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to clarify the definition of foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the United States Research Protection Act of 2025 . 2. Clarification of definition of foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction Paragraph (4) of section 10638 of title VI of division B of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 19237 ) is amended— (1) by inserting of concern after foreign country each place such term appears; (2) by striking means— and all that follows through any program, position, or activity and inserting means any program, position, or activity ; (3) by striking subparagraph (B); (4) by redesignating clauses (i) through (ix) as subparagraphs (A) through (I), respectively, and moving such subparagraphs, as so redesignated, two ems to the left; (5) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking directly provided and inserting whether directly or indirectly provided ; and (6) in subparagraph (I), as so redesignated, by striking ; and and inserting a period.