Bill seeks to bar Chinese military scientists from entering United States

A group of lawmakers recently reintroduced legislation they said would require the government to develop a list of scientific and engineering institutions affiliated with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Mike Braun (R-IN) detailed how the PLA Visa Security Act would prohibit individuals employed or sponsored by the Chinese military institutions from receiving American student or research visas.

“COVID-19 has made it clear just how vulnerable we are to the global threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party,” Rubio said. “We must ensure that individuals linked to the CCP’s People’s Liberation Army are not able to obtain research and student visas, which enable the theft of American technology. It is in our national security interest to ensure the CCP isn’t taking advantage of our open system to steal American intellectual property.”

Cotton said allowing members of the People’s Liberation Army access to research visas would serve as an open invitation to steal American research, ingenuity, and intellectual property.

“The United States shouldn’t be arming our greatest adversary,” he said. “Our bill will block Chinese military affiliated people from receiving student and research visas to the United States.”

Cruz said the Chinese Communist Party exploits the nation’s visa system to infiltrate American institutions.

“The People’s Liberation Army systematically sends Chinese engineers and scientists abroad to exploit research projects to access sensitive data and technology,” he said. “The PLA Visa Security Act provides an additional screening layer to ensure applicants are not affiliated with the Chinese military.”