Washington, D.C. —U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs and China Committees is teaming up with U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee to combat the Chinese Communist Party and foreign adversaries. The Protecting American Research and Talent Act prohibits federal funding from going to universities or colleges for the purposes of conducting fundamental research in collaboration with foreign entities tied to adversarial governments or their militaries. U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is cosponsoring the legislation.
Higher education has been a target of foreign espionage schemes in recent years, especially by the Chinese Communist Party. In August, a Chinese doctor was charged with stealing research for the CCP while at the University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center. That arrest comes on the heels of a Stanford University investigation revealing that the CCP was engaged in widespread attempts to recruit spies at the University.
“The CCP and other foreign adversaries repeatedly use sophisticated schemes to steal American research and advance their interests in the expense of American national security and innovation” said Congressman Barr. “This legislation seeks to stop that effort by increasing transparency and limiting federal flexibility to approve exemptions.”
“For far too long, our adversaries have exploited American colleges and universities to advance their interests, while risking our national security and innovation. This bill seeks to protect American research and talent and ensure our adversaries are not benefiting from American institutions,” said Senator Cotton.
Congressman Barr has been extensively involved in crafting legislation designed to thwart CCP aggression. Earlier this month, the House passed Barr’s Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act, which holds the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliates accountable for fueling America’s fentanyl crisis.
###