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HR 8901

Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries Act

119th Congress Introduced by Pat Harrigan and 3 co-sponsors

Prohibits federally funded research collaborations with entities or individuals on U.S. restricted lists, with waivers possible for national security or specific science/public hea

Introduced in House
1
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Bill Summary · HR 8901

Overview

  • Bill: HR 8901
  • Session: 119th Congress, 2nd Session
  • Title: Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries Act
  • Purpose: Prohibits federally funded research collaborations with certain foreign entities or individuals associated with those entities. Establishes guidance, and a waiver process with reporting to Congress.

Main purpose and intent

  • To prevent federal funds from being used to support research collaborations with foreign entities that appear on designated restricted lists, or with individuals connected to such entities.
  • Aims to safeguard U.S. national security, scientific integrity, and public health by restricting federally funded collaboration with entities deemed a potential national security risk.

Key provisions and changes

  • Prohibition on federally funded research awards:
    • No federal funds awarded through grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other forms of federal financial assistance may be used to enter into, support, or carry out any research collaboration with:
    • (1) An entity listed on a United States Government restricted entity list; or
    • (2) An individual associated with such an entity.
  • Definition and scope:
    • “Research collaboration” includes joint research activities, co-authorship, data sharing, joint labs, personnel exchanges, visiting appointments, and other arrangements defined by the funding agency.
    • “National Laboratory” and “United States Government restricted entity lists” are defined and include various government lists (e.g., BIS Entity List, OFAC SDN, Debarred Parties, 889 List, and others), plus lists related to China’s military-civil fusion, sanctions, and other national security-related classifications.
  • Guidance:
    • The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with heads of relevant agencies, must issue government-wide implementation guidance to standardize compliance, definitions, and enforcement.
  • Waiver authority and process:
    • Agency heads may grant case-by-case waivers if necessary to advance U.S. national security interests or for a clearly defined scientific, public health, or national security purpose that cannot be achieved otherwise.
    • If a waiver is granted, the agency head must notify Congress in writing within 30 days, including:
    • The identity of the subject entity or individual,
    • Justification for the waiver,
    • Any mitigation measures to protect national security.
  • Definitions:
    • Expanded definition of “research collaboration” to cover activities such as data sharing, joint publications, joint labs, personnel exchanges, and other arrangements.
    • Lists and terms for “United States Government restricted entity lists,” including multiple federal lists and executive orders.
    • Clarifies what constitutes a “National Laboratory.”
  • Effective scope:
    • Applies to federal funding and to “other forms of Federal financial assistance or other awards issued under other transaction authority.”

Who or what would be affected

  • Federal research recipients:
    • Universities, national laboratories, research institutes, and private entities receiving federal funding for research.
  • Individuals or entities on restricted government lists:
    • Any entity on the specified restricted lists or individuals affiliated with those entities would be barred from partnering on federally funded research projects.
  • Federal granting and funding agencies:
    • Agencies would implement the guidance, enforce prohibitions, and process waivers with Congressional reporting requirements.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral:
    • Introduced May 19, 2026, referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
  • Guidance development:
    • A government-wide implementation guidance is to be issued by the OSTP Director in coordination with agency heads.
  • Waiver reporting:
    • When a waiver is granted, a formal Congressional notification is due within 30 days, including specific details about the waiver and mitigation measures.
  • No explicit sunset or implementation date provided in the text; assumes immediate applicability to federally funded awards under the act’s scope upon enactment.

Notable details

  • Co-sponsors include Pat Harrigan, Darrell Issa, Claudia Tenney, and John Moolenaar.
  • The bill emphasizes national security and the protection of scientific and public health interests while allowing narrowly tailored waivers in exceptional cases.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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