Protecting American Research and Talent Act

This proposal would block federal money from going to colleges and universities for basic research projects if those projects are done together with certain outside groups that the government is concerned about. A federal agency could allow an exception, but only case by case, only if it’s in the national security interest, and only for schools with less than 15% international students and less than 5% of those students coming from “foreign countries of concern.” Students from persecuted groups would not count toward those caps, and the State Department would create the list of such groups . If an exception is granted, Congress must be told within 30 days. Agencies must also file yearly reports that list who applied for waivers, school-by-school enrollment statistics, and details about any approved partnerships, including the type of technology, how long the work lasts, and any rules about intellectual property .

In practice, this could limit who colleges can partner with on federally funded basic research and could affect schools with large international student bodies. It sets strict reporting and notice rules so Congress can track any exceptions. The bill uses existing federal definitions for terms like “foreign country of concern” and “fundamental research” .

• Who is affected: Colleges and universities; federal research agencies; some international students, depending on their country of origin .
• What changes: No federal funds for basic research done with covered outside entities, unless a strict waiver is approved; added notice and yearly reporting to Congress .
• When: Would take effect if enacted; the text requires 30-day notices after any waiver and annual reporting thereafter .