Defending Defense Research from Chinese Communist Party Espionage Act of 2025
New Bill Proposes Ban on Foreign Contracts for Universities Doing Defense Research
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Mr. Banks, would stop colleges and universities that receive Department of Defense funding from signing contracts with certain foreign countries or organizations. The goal is to prevent sensitive military research and technology from being shared with or influenced by foreign governments.
- Starting in 2027, schools would have to end existing contracts or get special permission from the Department of Defense to keep them. To get a waiver, a school must prove the contract helps students and doesn't hurt national security. All approved contracts would be listed in a public database for everyone to see.
- The bill also creates strict rules for lead researchers working on high-tech military projects. Once their project ends, these researchers would be banned for 10 years from taking jobs or money from specific foreign groups. This is meant to stop experts from taking American technological secrets to other countries.
- To make sure schools follow the rules, each university would need to appoint a compliance officer. This person would be responsible for checking all foreign deals and personally signing off on their accuracy. If a school breaks these rules, they could lose their federal defense funding.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Foreign researchers on visas who work as principal investigators on DoD-funded critical technology projects would face a 10-year ban on accepting employment or compensation from foreign entities of concern after their project ends. This could significantly limit future career options for international scholars, potentially discouraging talented foreign researchers from participating in U.S. defense-related academic work in the first place.
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
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
3 articles
Jim Banks Introduces Bill to Stop China from Stealing Critical Tech Research
Senator Jim Banks is proposing legislation to protect American defense research from the Chinese Communist Party's attempts to steal critical technology. The bill would close loopholes currently being exploited by the CCP through university deals and high-salary job offers to researchers.
Johnson County Congressional delegation updates: week of October 19
Senator Jim Banks secured key legislation in the Senate-passed NDAA, including the Defending Defense Research from CCP Espionage Act. The provision prohibits DoD-funded universities from entering into contracts with foreign adversaries like China.
L.E.A.D. Legislative Brief: The 119th Congress's Emerging Legislative Blueprint on China
S. 418, the Defending Defense Research from CCP Espionage Act, blocks contracts between defense-funded universities and Chinese entities while imposing post-employment restrictions on defense researchers, reflecting a shift toward direct prohibitions in federal research funding.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Defending Defense Research from Chinese Communist Party Espionage Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.