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HR 9123 119th Congress · House

Bill to Restrict Intelligence Funding for Universities Tied to Certain PRC Entities

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Official title: To establish intelligence community funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with certain entities in the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes.

This bill would bar or limit intelligence community funding to institutions of higher education that maintain relationships with certain entities in the People’s Republic of China. It is aimed at universities and colleges that partner with, receive support from, or otherwise have ties to designated Chinese entities viewed as security risks. The practical effect would be to make access to intelligence-related federal dollars contingent on those institutions cutting or avoiding certain foreign relationships. The measure is designed to reduce the risk of technology transfer, influence operations, and research exposure involving sensitive national-security work.

  • Restricts intelligence community funding for higher-education institutions with certain PRC ties.
  • Targets relationships with specified entities in the People’s Republic of China.
  • Would affect universities seeking intelligence-related federal support.
  • Could require institutions to change partnerships or lose funding eligibility.
Public Relevance 30 / 100
Niche Modest scope Broad

For universities and research institutions, this bill could mean new limits on access to intelligence community funding if they maintain certain relationships with designated Chinese entities. Schools that rely on federal research dollars would likely face added compliance costs and pressure to review or end some international partnerships. For students and faculty at affected institutions, the biggest practical change would be fewer opportunities tied to intelligence-related research programs and potentially tighter rules around collaboration.

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FOR
  • National security officials and defense hawks They argue universities can be vulnerable entry points for foreign intelligence collection and technology transfer. Conditioning funding on cleaner foreign ties is seen as a way to protect sensitive research and reduce strategic risk.
  • Research administrators at security-focused institutions Some campus leaders may support clearer federal rules because they create a uniform standard for evaluating risky partnerships. They may see the bill as helping universities avoid inadvertent exposure to foreign influence or export-control problems.
  • Taxpayers concerned about federal research security Supporters can argue that federal intelligence dollars should not subsidize institutions that maintain relationships with entities linked to a strategic competitor. They view the bill as a safeguard for public investment in sensitive research.
AGAINST
  • University researchers and academic administrators They may argue the bill could chill legitimate international collaboration and make it harder to conduct cutting-edge research. Institutions could lose funding even when partnerships are educational or scientific rather than security-related.
  • Higher-education associations They are likely to say the measure could impose broad compliance burdens and create uncertainty about which foreign relationships are disqualifying. That could discourage universities from engaging in beneficial global research networks.
  • Faculty and graduate students in international programs They may worry the policy would reduce access to joint projects, exchange opportunities, and specialized funding streams. In practice, they could face more paperwork, fewer collaborations, and possible disruptions to ongoing research.
  • “funding restrictions on institutions of higher education”

    Universities could become ineligible for certain intelligence community dollars if they do not meet the bill’s foreign-relationship standards. That would directly affect research budgets and the ability to participate in intelligence-adjacent projects.

  • “have a relationship with certain entities in the People’s Republic of China”

    The bill would focus on institutional ties, not just individual conduct. That means partnerships, agreements, or affiliations could become the basis for funding consequences.

  • “intelligence community funding”

    The restriction is aimed at a specific slice of federal support connected to national-security work. Schools that depend on these funds for research infrastructure or specialized projects would be most affected.

  • “and for other purposes”

    This standard legislative phrase signals the bill may include related enforcement or definitional provisions beyond the headline restriction. In practice, that can shape how agencies determine compliance and apply the funding limits.

June 3, 2026

Referred to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

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