Colleges lose federal research funding if they operate campuses in nine countries
S. 4423 — A bill to amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to require each institution of higher education to certify as part of an application for a research and development award that such institution does not operate certain branch campuses, and for other purposes. · Filed by Rick Scott (R-FL) · Introduced Apr 28, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires U.S. colleges and universities to certify that they do not operate branch campuses in nine specified countries (Venezuela, North Korea, Iran, China, Cuba, Turkey, Russia, Qatar, and any others the State Department designates) in order to receive federal research funding. Institutions must make this certification within two years of the law's enactment. The bill aims to prevent foreign governments from accessing sensitive U.S. research through overseas campus operations.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a geopolitical eligibility filter for federal research funding. It does not fund research or create new programs; it restricts access to existing federal R&D awards based on institutional foreign campus operations.
What the text implies
- Institutions with legitimate academic or humanitarian missions in listed countries may face difficult choices: close those campuses or forfeit U.S. federal research funding, potentially affecting students and faculty in those regions.
- The 'any other country the Secretary of State determines appropriate' clause grants executive branch discretion to expand the list without congressional action, creating regulatory uncertainty for institutions.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill protects U.S. research security and intellectual property from potential foreign government access, a legitimate public interest.