United States Research Protection Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/1318
Last Updated: July 12, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]

ID: K000403

Follow the money

The bill

United States Research Protection Act

HR. 1318, 119th Congress — read as touching AI & Cloud Infrastructure.

The sponsor

Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$157,510 raised

20 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

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 24, 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

Foreign Aid & DiplomacyImmigration & Border Security
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$157,510
20 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$0
Committees
$0
Individuals
$157,510

No PAC contributions found

No organization contributions found

No committee contributions found

1
ULRICH, DAVE
1 transaction
$10,000
2
BRENCHLEY, ROXANE
1 transaction
$9,900
3
BRENCHLEY, SHAWN
1 transaction
$9,900
4
JOHNSON, HEATHER
1 transaction
$9,900
5
JOHNSON, JOHN
1 transaction
$9,900
6
KENNEDY, HUGH
1 transaction
$9,900
7
KENNEDY, JACOB
1 transaction
$9,900
8
ULANOFF, DORY
1 transaction
$9,900
9
ZUPANCICH, ANTHONY
1 transaction
$9,900
10
PLUMB, WALTER III
1 transaction
$6,700
11
HEMMERT, DANIEL
1 transaction
$6,600
12
REAGAN, WILLIAM K
1 transaction
$6,600
13
SHURTZ, LINCOLN
1 transaction
$6,600
14
DURSTELER, BLAKE E
1 transaction
$6,600
15
CONLEE, ROBERT
1 transaction
$6,600
16
PETERSON, JAMIE
1 transaction
$6,600
17
PETERSON, TROY
1 transaction
$6,600
18
HAFEN, MARK
1 transaction
$5,205
19
SHEFFER, CLAY
1 transaction
$5,205
20
VON BATTEN, KARL
1 transaction
$5,000

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

1
MATCH-E-BE-NASH-SHE-WISH BAND OF POTTAWATOMI INDIANS
OrganizationSHELBYVILLE, MI
$3,300
Oct 31, 2024
2
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
OrganizationCHEROKEE, NC
$3,300
Nov 6, 2024
3
MATCH-E-BE-NASH-SHE-WISH BAND OF POTTAWATOMI INDIANS
OrganizationSHELBYVILLE, MI
$3,300
Dec 29, 2023
4
NOTTAWASEPPI HURON BAND OF THE POTAWATOMI
OrganizationFULTON, MI
$3,300
Mar 6, 2024
5
POKAGON BAND OF POTAWATOMI INDIANS
OrganizationDOWAGIAC, MI
$3,300
Sep 29, 2023
6
SAGINAW CHIPPEWA INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationMT PLEASANT, MI
$3,300
Sep 29, 2023
7
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
Jun 5, 2023
8
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
Apr 29, 2024
9
SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION
OrganizationEL CAJON, CA
$1,500
Oct 24, 2023
10
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationLOS ANGELES, CA
$1,000
Dec 29, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 32 nodes and 23 connections (32 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $167,410

Top Donors - Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]

Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount

20 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 3 harmed.

  • Section 2 clarifies the definition of foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction, which may impact AI labs and cloud infrastructure providers' ability to recruit international talent, potentially increasing costs or reducing competitiveness (SEC. 2).

  • The restriction on malign foreign talent recruitment may also affect semiconductor and hardware companies that rely on international talent, potentially disrupting their research and development efforts (SEC. 2).

  • Big Tech Platformsconfidence 0.70

    Large tech platforms may be impacted by the clarified definition of foreign country, as they often have international recruitment programs and collaborations, which could be restricted or complicated by this provision (SEC. 2).

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