The American Science First Act prohibits the National Science Foundation from providing grants or assistance to entities connected to Chinese communist military companies and their affiliates. This includes companies on the Export Administration Regulations list and those identified under specific defense authorization acts.
Rick Allen
Representative
GA-12
The American Science First Act prohibits the National Science Foundation (NSF) from providing grants or assistance to individuals or entities associated with Chinese communist military companies and their affiliates. This includes companies listed under Export Administration Regulations and those identified in specific defense authorization acts. The goal is to prevent NSF funding from supporting entities that pose a national security risk.
New Bill Blocks NSF Funding for Entities Linked to Chinese Military: 'American Science First Act' Aims to Protect Taxpayer Dollars, But Could Impact Research
The "American Science First Act" is pretty straightforward: It stops the National Science Foundation (NSF) from giving any grants or other financial help to individuals or groups connected to Chinese communist military companies or their affiliates. The goal? Making sure U.S. taxpayer money doesn't end up supporting potential adversaries. The bill specifically references lists from the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR Chapter VII, Subchapter C) and companies identified under defense acts like the Strom Thurmond Act of 1999 and the Mac Thornberry Act of 2021. It also cast a wide net, including parent companies, subsidiaries, and affiliates of the listed entities (SEC. 2).
No More NSF Dollars Flowing to Potential Adversaries
The core change is simple: no NSF money for anyone on those lists, or connected to them. This directly impacts researchers and institutions that might currently receive NSF funding and have any ties to the designated Chinese entities. For example, a U.S. university collaborating with a Chinese research lab that's a subsidiary of a company on one of the specified lists would lose NSF funding for that project. Or, an individual researcher who is also employed by an "affiliate" of a listed company would be ineligible for NSF grants. The bill's language around "affiliates" is pretty broad, and that is where some of the problems will likely arise.
Real-World Roadblocks and Ripple Effects
While the aim is to safeguard national security, this bill could create some real headaches. Accurately identifying and verifying these connections to Chinese military companies might be tough in practice. Also, the broad definition of "affiliates" could unintentionally sweep in legitimate research collaborations. This could disproportionately impact researchers of Chinese descent or those who routinely collaborate with Chinese institutions, even if those collaborations have nothing to do with military applications. The bill could slow down scientific progress by limiting international partnerships, something that is very common in the scientific community.
The Big Picture: Security vs. Collaboration
The "American Science First Act" highlights the tension between national security and open scientific exchange. While protecting taxpayer dollars and national interests is crucial, there's a real risk of hindering valuable research and potentially damaging relationships with international partners. It also might mean more NSF funding is available for U.S.-based researchers and companies, but at what cost? The bill's effectiveness will hinge on how strictly "affiliation" is interpreted and enforced, and whether it can avoid unintended consequences for the broader scientific community.