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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) led colleagues in introducing the Preventing PLA Acquisition of United States Technology Act of 2022. The bill would prevent any federally funded U.S. research from being shared or conducted jointly with Chinese entities that participate in the Chinese Communist Party’s Military Civil-Fusion strategy. This national development strategy aims to mobilize non-military resources and expertise in China to increase the capabilities and lethality of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). As a result, international exchange with ostensibly civilian institutions in China is now highly vulnerable to PLA appropriation. Specifically, the legislation would prohibit U.S. research agencies, as well as universities, colleges, and private companies that receive federal funding, from engaging in STEM research or technical exchange with Chinese entities of concern in areas of cutting-edge technology that could improve the PLA’s ability to wage war against the United States and its allies.  
 
Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are original cosponsors. 
 
“The Chinese Communist Party is our number one threat. Beijing will lie, cheat, and steal to become more powerful than the United States,” Rubio said. “All too often, our nation’s scientists and experts partner with their Chinese counterparts without understanding how their research will be weaponized by the Chinese military. My bill will prevent this type of collaboration and protect federally funded research from falling into the hands of the People’s Liberation Army.” 
 
“We know Communist China steals American technology and intellectual property and will stop at nothing in its quest for world domination,” Scott said. “The Preventing PLA Acquisition of United States Technology Act of 2022 will address the serious threat Communist China poses to our technology, national security, and the private information of American citizens.”
 
“The Chinese Communist Party cannot continue to steal technology from America for use in their Military-Civil Fusion strategy,” Blackburn said. “The United States’ innovative spirit keeps our military advanced. This bill would stop the CCP in their tracks by securing that spirit.”  
 
“The United States shouldn’t be in the business of funding Chairman Xi’s aspirations for military supremacy,” Sasse said. “Through its MCF strategy, the CCP intentionally blurs the lines between academic research, the commercial private sector, and defense industry to build the next generation of Chinese weapons designed to challenge the United States. We should’ve cut federal funding for US agencies, higher education, and private companies that engage in research or technical exchanges with Chinese entities involved in this strategy years ago. We can’t make it easy for the CCP to beat the United States.”

“It’s no secret the Chinese Communist Party has stolen American intellectual property, yet colleges, universities, and private companies in the United States continue to partner with China for research,” Cotton said. “Our bill will end these partnerships to ensure the CCP can’t use our research as a weapon against us.”