S. 2755 — Protecting American Research and Talent Act

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of federal funds to award grants or contracts to institutions of higher education for conducting fundamental research in collaboration with covered entities (e.g., certain Chinese academic institutions and military companies listed in prior National Defense Authorization Acts, universities designated under China's "Seven Sons of National Defense" or "Double First-Class Construction" plans, and related individuals). It authorizes the head of a federal agency to waive the prohibition on a case-by-case basis for eligible institutions—those with less than 15% international enrollment and less than 5% enrollment from foreign countries of concern (excluding students from persecuted groups listed by the Secretary of State)—if the waiver is in the national security interests of the United States, with notice to Congress within 30 days of the award. It requires each federal agency to submit annual reports to Congress on compliance, including lists of waiver applicants with domestic, international, and foreign country of concern enrollment statistics by undergraduate and graduate schools, plus justifications and details for each waiver granted. It defines collaboration (e.g., sharing facilities, data, or technical know-how; joint ventures), covered entity, foreign country of concern (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 19221), and fundamental research.