119th (2025–2027)
S. 4423
This bill would require 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 Secretary of State designates—in order to receive federal research and development funding. The requirement would apply to all institutions of higher education seeking research awards from federal agencies and must be implemented within two years of the law's enactment. The bill defines a branch campus as a permanent, geographically separate location that offers degree or certificate programs and has its own faculty, administration, and budgeting authority. This certification requirement is intended as a research security measure, presumably to prevent federal research funding from supporting institutions with operations in countries the U.S. government views as security concerns or adversaries.