HR 1318

This bill, the United States Research Protection Act, updates the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to more clearly define what constitutes a ‘malign foreign talent recruitment program.’ It specifically expands the list of countries considered ‘countries of concern’ – including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia – that can sponsor programs that incentivize researchers to potentially compromise their work or share confidential information. The changes aim to strengthen restrictions on researchers receiving federal funds from participating in these types of programs, regardless of whether the compensation is direct or indirect.