Preventing Research Ownership Transfer to External Competitive Threats (PROTECT) Act of 2026
House Bill Would Bar Universities from Transferring Research to China, Russia Under PROTECT Act
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill stops U.S. universities, their teachers, and students from selling or giving their research and inventions to certain foreign governments. This includes things like patents, secret data, and new technology developed on campus.
- The ban targets specific countries that the government considers a threat, including China, Russia, and Iran. It also covers any country that supports terrorism or is currently in a fight with the United States.
- Schools that break these rules could face huge fines. If the research isn't a threat to national security, the fine is up to $500,000. If the research involves sensitive topics like energy or defense, the fine can jump to $5 million.
- The government can also take away any money the university made from the illegal deal. The Secretary of State will have the final say on which countries are off-limits and how dangerous the research is.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Foreign researchers and graduate students on visas — particularly those from China, Russia, and Iran — could face heightened scrutiny and suspicion around their university research activities, even if they have no connection to those governments. The broad definition of 'covered research' (anything developed 'in whole or in part' by a university-affiliated person) could chill international academic collaborations and make it harder for visa holders to participate fully in research projects.
State Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articlesBill Would Restrict University Exports of Intellectual Property
The PROTECT Act of 2026 targets the transfer of research and inventions from U.S. campuses to adversarial governments. Violations involving sensitive defense or energy research could result in fines up to $5 million, while non-security threats carry penalties up to $500,000.
Rep. Troy Nehls moves to prevent US universities from 'compromising the security of our nation'
The Preventing Research Ownership Transfer to External Competitive Threats (PROTECT) Act of 2026 targets universities that sell research and inventions to adversarial nations, imposing fines up to $5 million for national security-related breaches.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Preventing Research Ownership Transfer to External Competitive Threats (PROTECT) Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.