Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 22: U.S. lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan legislative package aimed at preventing American universities from receiving federal funding if they maintain branch campuses in adversarial countries or accept research funding from foreign governments for sensitive fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum information science.
The legislation, introduced by Senator Rick Scott and U.S. Representatives Elise Stefanik and Josh Gottheimer, seeks to curb foreign interference in the American higher education system and counter what lawmakers describe as growing influence by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and other hostile foreign actors.
The package comprises two bills: the Defending American Research Act and the No Branch Campuses in Hostile Countries Act. Together, the measures would block federal funding for universities that operate branch campuses in specified adversarial or high-risk countries or receive foreign funding for research with potential national security or military applications.
Under the Defending American Research Act, institutions of higher education seeking federal research and development awards would be required to certify that they do not operate certain branch campuses in designated adversarial countries. The bill amends the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to establish the certification requirement as a condition for receiving federal research funding.
The No Branch Campuses in Hostile Countries Act would amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 to prohibit universities from receiving federal research and development awards for a period of five years if they accept funding from specified foreign governments to conduct research related to national security or military applications. The restriction would apply to sensitive fields, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum information science.
Supporters of the legislation argue that some academic partnerships and research collaborations have enabled foreign governments, particularly China, to gain access to sensitive technologies, intellectual property, and taxpayer-funded research developed at American institutions.
Lawmakers backing the measures contend that universities receiving federal grants and contracts should be held to higher standards of transparency regarding their relationships with foreign governments and state-affiliated entities. They have expressed concerns that inadequate disclosure of foreign funding and research partnerships could expose American institutions to foreign influence and compromise national interests.
“America has enemies and we need to start acting like it,” Senator Scott said in a statement. “Countries like Communist China and terror-supporting Qatar should not be able to use America’s colleges and universities as outposts to spy on us, steal sensitive research, and spread anti-American propaganda, but we’ve been letting them do it for years. This legislation is critical to America’s national security and the future of our higher education system, neither of which should be for sale.”
Representative Stefanik said hostile foreign governments have invested heavily in American universities to gain influence and access to sensitive research. “Hostile foreign nations like China and Qatar have funneled millions of dollars to some of America’s most prestigious universities,” Stefanik said. “This funding has allowed these nations to promote harmful anti-American ideologies on college campuses and gain access to sensitive research with national security applications. Our legislation will prevent federal research dollars from padding the pockets of universities that continue to knowingly operate branch campuses in these nations or accept funds for national security-related research.”
Representative Gottheimer echoed the concerns, stating that adversarial governments were exploiting American universities to advance their interests. “We know adversaries like the CCP are exploiting our universities to access cutting-edge research and push their anti-American agendas,” Gottheimer said. “This bipartisan legislation draws a clear line: if you’re taking money tied to hostile nations, you shouldn’t be getting U.S. taxpayer dollars, full stop. It’s about protecting our national security and standing up for American innovation.”
