Congresswoman Tenney Introduces No Hostile ONLOOKERS Act to Protect America's National Laboratories from Foreign Adversaries

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today introduced the No Hostile Operatives in our National Labs Obtaining Our Knowledge which Establishes Risks to our Security (No Hostile ONLOOKERS) Act, legislation to strengthen safeguards at America's National Laboratories by prohibiting the Intelligence Community from funding research, development, or technical support at laboratories that allow assignees or visitors from hostile foreign nations to access sensitive facilities, information, or technology without appropriate national security protections.

America's National Laboratories conduct some of the nation's most sensitive scientific research and technological development, including work critical to national defense, intelligence, energy security, and emerging technologies. The No Hostile ONLOOKERS Act would prohibit the Intelligence Community from obligating or expending funds for research, development, or technical support at any National Laboratory that permits assignees or visitors from countries of risk, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, to access laboratory facilities, information, or technology. The legislation includes a narrow waiver allowing the head of an Intelligence Community element to authorize an exception only after certifying to Congress that the activity presents no risk of foreign intelligence collection and providing a written justification for the waiver. By strengthening security standards, the legislation helps protect America's research enterprise from espionage, intellectual property theft, and other national security threats posed by hostile foreign adversaries.

"Our National Laboratories are home to some of America's most advanced scientific research and technological innovation,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “We cannot allow hostile foreign regimes like Communist China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea to exploit access to these facilities to steal sensitive research or undermine our national security. The No Hostile ONLOOKERS Act establishes a commonsense safeguard to ensure Intelligence Community funding only supports laboratories that take these threats seriously. Protecting America's research, innovation, and technological edge is essential to maintaining our national security and staying ahead of our adversaries."

###