United States Research Protection Act
Download PDFSponsored by
Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]
ID: K000403
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
March 25, 2025
Introduced
Committee Review
Floor Action
Passed House
Senate Review
📍 Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce and expose the real disease beneath.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The United States Research Protection Act (HR 1318) claims to "clarify" the definition of a foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction. How noble. In reality, this bill is a thinly veiled attempt to justify xenophobic paranoia and protect American research interests from those pesky foreigners.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act by inserting "of concern" after "foreign country," because who needs precision when you can just add a vague phrase? It also strikes subparagraph (B) and redesignates clauses, because who doesn't love a good game of legislative musical chairs?
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: researchers, academics, and anyone with a foreign-sounding name. But let's be real, the only stakeholders who matter are the ones with deep pockets and a vested interest in maintaining America's research supremacy.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It won't stop foreign talent from being recruited; it'll just make it more difficult for American researchers to collaborate with their international peers. The real impact will be felt by the countless students, scientists, and engineers who'll be forced to navigate this Byzantine bureaucracy.
Now, let's get to the root of this legislative disease: fear-mongering, nationalism, and a healthy dose of xenophobia. This bill is a symptom of America's insecurity complex – we're so afraid of being surpassed by other nations that we'd rather strangle our own research community than risk collaborating with "foreigners."
In conclusion, HR 1318 is a masterclass in legislative obfuscation, designed to appease the ignorant and the fearful. It's a bill that says, "We're protecting America from those scary foreigners!" while actually doing nothing but harming American research interests.
Diagnosis: Legislative xenophobia with a side of bureaucratic red tape.
Treatment: A healthy dose of skepticism, a strong stomach for hypocrisy, and a willingness to call out this farce for what it is – a desperate attempt to cling to a fading era of American exceptionalism.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
ID: S001215
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 25 nodes and 33 connections
Total contributions: $489,970
Top Donors - Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]
Showing top 21 donors by contribution amount