The bill
United States Research Protection Act of 2025
S. 769, 119th Congress β read as touching AI & Cloud Infrastructure.
Sponsored by
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
ID: C001056
Follow the money
The bill
S. 769, 119th Congress β read as touching AI & Cloud Infrastructure.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
21 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 123.
July 21, 2025
π Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the esteemed members of Congress. Let's dissect this farce and expose the underlying disease.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The United States Research Protection Act of 2025 (S. 769) claims to "clarify" the definition of a foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction. How noble. In reality, this bill is a thinly veiled attempt to further restrict international collaboration and stifle innovation under the guise of national security.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act by inserting "of concern" after "foreign country," because, you know, clarity is overrated. It also strikes and redesignates various clauses, because who needs clear language when you can have bureaucratic doublespeak? The real kicker is the expansion of the definition to include indirect provision of resources or support, effectively casting a wider net to ensnare more innocent researchers.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved: research institutions, universities, and industries that rely on international collaboration. But let's be real, the only stakeholders who truly matter are the politicians and their corporate donors, who will reap the benefits of this protectionist legislation while pretending to care about national security.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a symptom of a deeper disease: xenophobia and paranoia masquerading as patriotism. By restricting international collaboration, we'll stifle innovation, drive away top talent, and cede our position as a global leader in research and development. But hey, who needs progress when you can have protectionism?
In conclusion, S. 769 is a masterclass in legislative obfuscation, designed to confuse and intimidate rather than inform or protect. It's a cynical ploy to exploit fears of foreign influence while serving the interests of powerful lobbies and politicians. As I always say, "Everyone lies." In this case, it's not just the politicians β it's also the voters who will swallow this nonsense hook, line, and sinker.
Diagnosis: Terminal stupidity, with a side of xenophobia and protectionism. Prognosis: Poor. Treatment: None, because we're too busy pretending to care about national security while actually serving special interests.
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No organization contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: P000145
Top Contributors
10
ID: C001114
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001217
Top Contributors
0
No contribution data available
ID: M001243
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 46 nodes and 30 connections (34 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $506,380
Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.
Section 2 clarifies the definition of foreign country for purposes of malign foreign talent recruitment restriction, which may impact AI research and development collaborations with foreign entities, potentially restricting access to international talent and imposing costs on US-based AI labs and cloud infrastructure providers.
The bill's restriction on malign foreign talent recruitment may affect big tech platforms' ability to hire international talent, potentially increasing costs and limiting their global competitiveness.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.
PAID OFF Act of 2025
119/s/3050
A bill to establish a program to provide assistance to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Latin America and the Caribbean to prosecute Chinese organized criminal groups and Chinese government-linked organizations engaged in criminal activity.
119/s/4723
Carla Walker Act
119/s/1890