Bill > S929

This bill, known as the "Guarding American Technology from Exploitation Act of 2025" (GATE Act), prohibits National Laboratories from admitting or providing access to foreign nationals from specific countries, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba, with some exceptions. The bill defines key terms such as "assignee" (individuals approved to access a National Laboratory for more than 30 consecutive days) and "visitor" (those seeking shorter-term access). Foreign nationals who are permanent U.S. residents or U.S. citizens are exempt from the prohibition. The Secretary of Energy can provide a waiver to this restriction if they determine, in consultation with intelligence and counterintelligence officials, that the benefits of allowing a specific foreign national's access outweigh potential national security and economic risks. If a waiver is issued, the Secretary must notify several congressional committees within 30 days, providing details about the foreign national's country of origin, the date of their access request, the date of the waiver decision, and specific reasons for granting the waiver. The primary goal of this legislation appears to be protecting sensitive technological and scientific information at National Laboratories from potential foreign espionage or technology transfer risks.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/929/all-info