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Congress·In Committee·about 1 year ago

New Bill Proposes Ban on Foreign Contracts for Universities Doing Defense Research

Also known as: Defending Defense Research from Chinese Communist Party Espionage Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

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.
National Security Foreign PolicyEducationLabor Employment

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 5, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Feb 5, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

One year after enactment

10-year post-employment restrictions kick in for new defense research projects

One year after the bill becomes law, lead researchers on new DoD-funded critical technology projects must agree not to work for or accept money from certain foreign entities for 10 years after their project ends. This could change how universities recruit top researchers.

Related News

3 articles
National Review·about 1 year ago

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.

R+
Daily Journal·4 months ago

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.

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Institute for China-America Studies·6 months ago

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.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Defending Defense Research from Chinese Communist Party Espionage Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 418
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.