United States Research Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1318) 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.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1318

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``United States Research Protection Act''. SEC. 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 (Public Law 117-167; 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.

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Mr. BABIN. 1318, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in support of H.R. 1318, the United States Research Protection Act, sponsored by my colleagues, Representatives Kennedy and Stevens. This legislation passed the House in the 118th Congress, and I am pleased that we are taking it up again today.

America's leadership in science and technology is built on the foundation of Federal investments and basic research. These investments enhance our national security, strengthen our economy, and improve the lives of our citizens.

Our unique research ecosystem, which combines Federal, academic, and private R&D efforts, drives America's advancement in science and technology. However, for this system to work, we need a degree of open science that facilitates collaboration and transparency. The challenge is ensuring this openness does not compromise our research security.

While the U.S. has significantly profited from this system, other countries--friends and foes--also benefit from U.S. investments. The theft of our basic research poses a significant risk to our global competitiveness. It takes our cutting-edge innovations and puts them to work for our adversaries, undermining our economy and hindering our ability to stay at the forefront of discovery.

A 2023 survey by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found 224 reported instances of Chinese espionage directed at the United States since 2000.

After conducting oversight of recently enacted research security requirements, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee was informed that complicated and confusing language in the CHIPS and Science Act was preventing the academic community from fully securing taxpayer-funded research.

H.R. 1318 will update and clarify the definition of a malign foreign talent recruitment program to assist universities and agencies in protecting our national investments. This bill is a simple bipartisan solution to protect our tax dollars and the research that they fund from foreign espionage.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Kennedy and Stevens for their work on this critical legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R.

Mr. Speaker, the government needs clear and explicit guidance for our agencies and federally funded researchers. While this body has passed multiple bills to protect American research, unintentional ambiguity has created confusion within the academic research community. H.R. 1318 will eliminate confusion around the implementation of research security requirements and increase protections of our R&D enterprise.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this simple and noncontroversial bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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