Senate panel backs funding ban on U.S. researchers in Chinese talent programs
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/05/senate-panel-backs-funding-ban-us-researchers-chinese-talent-programs
The U.S. Senate’s commerce committee has voted to ban any U.S. scientist who participates in a Chinese-sponsored talent recruitment program from receiving or making use of federal funding. Yesterday’s vote—just the first step toward making the provision law—represents a ratcheting up of current U.S. efforts to block the Chinese government from stealing or gaining improper access to federally funded research.
The new restrictions are tucked into bipartisan legislation championed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–NY), called the Endless Frontier Act (EFA), which would authorize massive budget increases for the National Science Foundation and research at the Department of Energy, and also give NSF a new technology directorate. The committee voted 24–4 to advance the latest version of the bill (S.1260), which could be headed to the Senate floor as soon as next week. A similar bill with the same restrictions is pending in the U.S. House of Representatives.