Austin News

U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Alex Padilla have announced the passage of their U.S. Research Protection Act in the House of Representatives. The bill aims to protect American research from foreign influence by amending the CHIPS and Science Act to impose further restrictions on programs sponsored by countries deemed concerning.

Senator Cornyn emphasized the importance of protecting American innovation, stating, "In a world where competition turns into hostility all too often, we must do everything in our power to safeguard American ingenuity against bad actor nations." He highlighted that the legislation will increase restrictions on academic programs involving these countries.

Senator Padilla noted the progress made with the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act and stressed the need for continued efforts. "This legislation will provide much-needed clarity for federal agencies and academic institutions to better safeguard national security while preserving research collaboration and international partnerships crucial to the strength of America’s innovation economy," he said. Padilla expressed his satisfaction with the House's approval and looks forward to collaborating with Senator Cornyn for its swift Senate passage.

The bill was spearheaded in the House by Representatives Mike Kennedy and Haley Stevens.

Malign Foreign Talent Programs are used by countries such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea to acquire American scientific research through incentives or coercion of researchers. The CHIPS and Science Act already prohibits U.S. entities from partnering with such programs but only addresses direct incentives. The new legislation seeks to expand this definition to include indirect benefits, closing loopholes that adversarial nations might exploit.