A bill to amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to require each institution of higher education to certify as part of an application for a research and development award that such institution does not operate certain branch campuses, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- S. 4423
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-28: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-14T15:36:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill amends the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to enhance research security by requiring U.S. institutions of higher education (colleges and universities) to certify that they do not operate branch campuses in certain countries when applying for federal research and development (R&D) awards. The goal is to prevent federal funding from supporting institutions with physical presences in nations potentially posing security risks.
Key Provisions
- Certification Requirement: Starting no later than 2 years after enactment, heads of federal research agencies (e.g., National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health) must require institutions applying for R&D awards to certify they do not operate a branch campus in:
- Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- People's Republic of China
- Republic of Cuba
- Republic of Turkey
- Russian Federation
- State of Qatar
- Any other country designated by the U.S. Secretary of State
- Definition of Branch Campus: A geographically separate unit from the main campus that is:
- Permanent
- Offers degrees, certificates, or other credentials
- Has its own dedicated faculty, administration, budget, and hiring authority
- Implementation: Adds new Section 10634A to Subtitle D of Title VI of the Act (42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.) and updates the law's table of contents.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new mandatory certification as part of R&D award applications, which did not previously exist under the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act.
- Ties federal R&D funding eligibility directly to the absence of branch campuses in specified countries, creating a security-based restriction.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Federal research agencies must update application processes to include and verify certifications, potentially increasing administrative workload.
- Institutions of Higher Education: Colleges/universities with branch campuses in listed countries may lose eligibility for federal R&D funding, affecting research projects, faculty hiring, and student opportunities.
- Researchers and Citizens: U.S.-based researchers at affected institutions could face reduced funding for scientific work; no direct impact on individual citizens unless affiliated with such institutions.
- International Relations: May strain ties with listed countries by discouraging U.S. institutions from operating there, signaling U.S. concerns over research security and foreign influence.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Institutions of Higher Education: Primary targets, especially those with international branch campuses (e.g., in China or Qatar).
- Federal Research Agencies: Responsible for enforcement.
- Researchers and Students: Indirectly affected through funding availability.
- U.S. Government (State Department): Gains authority to expand the country list.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Establishes a funding condition based on institutional operations abroad, enforceable through award denials; relies on agency heads for implementation without detailed enforcement mechanisms.
- Constitutional: Likely upheld as a valid exercise of Congress's spending power (conditioning federal funds), but could face challenges if seen as infringing academic freedom or foreign affairs authority.
- Political: Reflects national security priorities by targeting countries often viewed as adversaries or risks, potentially influencing U.S. higher education's global expansion amid concerns over intellectual property theft or espionage.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-28: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2026-04-28: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to require each institution of higher education to certify as part of an application for a research and development award that such institution does not operate certain branch campuses, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-04-28 — PDF (3 pages)