Preventing Research Ownership Transfer to External Competitive Threats (PROTECT) Act of 2026

HR 7510, the PROTECT Act of 2026, prohibits U.S. universities and their affiliated researchers from transferring intellectual property rights (like patents or research data) in covered research to "covered foreign governments" - defined as nations including Russia, China, Iran, or others deemed national security threats by the Secretary of State. The law bans contracts, licenses, or sales granting such foreign governments ownership or control over U.S. academic research, particularly in critical energy or defense fields. Violations risk civil penalties up to $5 million per incident, with seized funds forfeited to the U.S. government. It directly affects universities conducting research involving sensitive intellectual property and their ability to collaborate with entities tied to designated threat nations.