Reps. Gallagher, Hartzler introduce PLA Visa Security Act

U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) introduced legislation Tuesday that would prohibit Chinese scientists affiliated with the Chinese military from studying at American universities.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Visa Security Act would require the U.S. government to develop a list of scientific and engineering institutions affiliated with the PLA and prohibit scientists affiliated with those institutions from receiving student or research visas to the United States.

“For years, the PLA has exploited our education system to conduct sensitive research and steal technologies from our colleges and universities,” Gallagher said. “Last year, the Trump administration took decisive action to help prevent scientists and engineers affiliated with the PLA from obtaining critical visas for graduate study at our universities. I’m proud to join with Rep. Hartzler in introducing common-sense legislation to build on this action and ensure that American innovation does not benefit the Chinese Communist Party.”

According to some estimates, the PLA has sent more than 2,500 military scientists and engineers to study abroad. A PLA Visa Security Act would require those Chinese nationals to disclose their connection to the Chinese military.

Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Mike Braun (R-IN)

“Allowing members of the People’s Liberation Army unfettered access to research visas is an open invitation to steal American research, ingenuity, and intellectual property,” Cotton said. “The United States shouldn’t be arming our greatest adversary—our bill will block Chinese military affiliated people from receiving student and research visas to the United States.”

The PLA Security Act has been endorsed by President Joe Biden’s current NSC Senior Director for International Economics and Competitiveness Peter Harrell, as well as Rush Doshi, NSC Senior Director for China; Ely Ratner, nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Indo-Pacific; Susanna Blume, nominee to serve as DoD Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation; Elizabeth Rosenberg, nominee to serve as Assistance Secretary for Terrorist Financing.