Research Integrity and Foreign Influence Prevention Act

H.R. 3744, the Research Integrity and Foreign Influence Prevention Act, would amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to broaden the definition of “foreign country of concern” for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restrictions. Specifically, starting January 1, 2026, the bill would add to the list any special administrative region within a covered foreign country of concern and any other territory that the United States recognizes as being under the control of such a country. The intent is to strengthen and clarify rules designed to prevent foreign influence over U.S. research by expanding the geographic scope of who is considered a potential source of malign influence. The bill is introduced in the House by Rep. Webster (FL) and Rep. Ogles, is labeled with the short title “Research Integrity and Foreign Influence Prevention Act,” and was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. It relies on and modifies the existing restrictions related to malign foreign talent recruitment within the underlying act.