Introduced in House — H.R. 7616

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7616

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 20, 2026

Mr. Jackson of Texas (for himself and Mr. Fine) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To require the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to identify and mitigate relationships that pose a risk to United States foreign policy interests between certain European institutions and certain covered entities of concern, and for other purposes.

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Transatlantic Academic Security and Risk Mitigation Act.

Sec. 2. Strategy

(a) Strategy required

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy regarding covered European institutions that maintain academic, financial, research, governance, programmatic, data-sharing, or other relevant direct or indirect relationships with covered entities of concern. Such strategy shall also include each of the following:

(1)

The manner in which the Department of State will identify, evaluate, and mitigate the relationships that pose a risk to United States foreign policy interests between European institutions and covered entities of concern.

(2)

An assessment of the scale, scope, and activities of covered entities of concern in Europe, disaggregated by country and including any other relevant operational or financial details.

(3)

An evaluation of the vulnerabilities, threats, and national security risks posed to the United States and to European allies and partners arising from the presence, activities, or influence efforts of covered entities of concern in European countries.

(4)

A list of recommendations for bilateral and multilateral United States diplomatic engagement with European governments and covered European institutions aimed at mitigating risks associated with covered entities of concern.

(5)

Any other matters the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs determines relevant.

(b) Form

The strategy required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.

(c) Briefing

Concurrently with the submission of the strategy required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on that strategy.

(d) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Appropriate congressional committees

The term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A)

the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and

(B)

the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

(2) Covered entity of concern

The term covered entity of concern means—

(A)

any entity of the People’s Republic of China that—

(i)

is involved in the implementation of military-civil fusion;

(ii)

participates in the Chinese defense industrial base;

(iii)

is affiliated with the Chinese State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for the National Defense;

(iv)

receives funding from any organization subordinate to the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party;

(v)

provides support to any security, defense, police, or intelligence organization of the Government of the People’s Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party;

(vi)

engages in coordinated activities or provides material support intended to undermine the United States relationship with Taiwan;

(vii)

aids, abets, or enables the detention, imprisonment, persecution, or forced labor of Uyghur Muslims in the People’s Republic of China; or

(viii)

is affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference;

(B)

any entity that participates, directly or indirectly, in a foreign talent recruitment program of the People’s Republic of China or has participated in such a program at any time in the 10-year period ending on the date of the submission of the report required by subsection (a);

(C)

any entity that directs support or coordination of student groups, language or cultural centers, or other on-campus entities (including Confucius Institutes or Chinese Student and Scholars Associations directed or funded, directly or indirectly, by the Government of the People’s Republic of China); or

(D)

any entity that engages in foreign malign influence or interference involving subversive, undeclared, coercive, or criminal activities, which may include propaganda, information manipulation, or efforts to influence academic, political, or civic institutions, whether conducted directly by foreign governments, state-linked entities, or through affiliated non-state actors, or their proxies, including through and by the United Front Work Department.

(3) Covered European institution

The term covered European institution means an institution of higher education or a research institution located in Europe.