Brevard Sun

Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) has introduced the Grant Recipient Accountability for Necessary Transparency Act (GRANT Act) aimed at increasing transparency in taxpayer-funded research grants. The proposed legislation seeks to address the lack of clear requirements for recipients to disclose foreign involvement in research projects after receiving federal grants.

According to Congressman Posey, it is not uncommon for foreign researchers, particularly from countries like China, to join taxpayer-funded research projects after the grants have been awarded. This raises concerns about the potential influence of foreign entities on the research and the possibility of taxpayer-funded research being taken back to their home countries without proper oversight.

In a recent memorandum, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inspector General highlighted the lack of a requirement for EPA research grant recipients to report foreign support after receiving a grant award. The memorandum also mentioned a collaborative effort involving the EPA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), and other federal law enforcement agencies to investigate unreported foreign gifts linked to federally funded awards. The investigation revealed that six universities had received $1.3 billion in awards from foreign sources, including China, Qatar, and Russia, over the past seven years without reporting them as required.

Under the GRANT Act, recipients of research grants would be required to disclose any foreign support from countries of concern within 30 days of receiving the support. The act also extends the requirement to covered individuals involved in the research, such as professors, researchers, and investigators. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the agency cooperate with the Inspector General in investigating any suspected failure to comply with the disclosure requirements.

The GRANT Act defines countries of foreign concern as including the People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong), the Russian Federation, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela.

Congressman Posey's proposed legislation aims to bring greater accountability and transparency to the use of taxpayer dollars in research grants. By requiring disclosure of foreign support and cooperation with the Inspector General's investigations, the GRANT Act seeks to ensure that research funded by taxpayers remains free from undue influence and is conducted with proper oversight.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://posey.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397189