U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs and China Committees, has joined with U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to introduce legislation aimed at preventing foreign adversaries from accessing American research through higher education institutions. The Protecting American Research and Talent Act would prohibit federal funding for universities or colleges that conduct fundamental research in collaboration with entities linked to adversarial governments or their militaries. U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is also a cosponsor.
The move follows recent incidents involving alleged espionage tied to Chinese interests on U.S. campuses, including the August arrest of a Chinese doctor accused of stealing research at the University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center and findings from Stanford University about attempts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to recruit spies there.
“The CCP and other foreign adversaries repeatedly use sophisticated schemes to steal American research and advance their interests in the expense of American national security and innovation” said Congressman Barr. “This legislation seeks to stop that effort by increasing transparency and limiting federal flexibility to approve exemptions.”
“For far too long, our adversaries have exploited American colleges and universities to advance their interests, while risking our national security and innovation. This bill seeks to protect American research and talent and ensure our adversaries are not benefiting from American institutions,” said Senator Cotton.
Congressman Barr has played an active role in addressing issues related to China’s influence, including his recently passed Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act which targets accountability for the CCP regarding fentanyl distribution in America.
Barr represents Kentucky’s 6th district in Congress since 2013 after replacing Ben Chandler (source). He was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1973 where he currently resides [source], holds degrees from both the University of Virginia (BA) and University of Kentucky College of Law (JD), [source] and previously served in the Kentucky House of Representatives before joining Congress [source].
