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SBIR/STTR Foreign Interference Safeguard Act

USA119th CongressHR-4775| House 
| Updated: 7/25/2025
Derek Tran

Derek Tran

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (1)
Don Bacon (Republican)

Small Business Committee, Science, Space, and Technology Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation aims to protect federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs from foreign influence. It extends the existing due diligence program, designed to assess security risks associated with award recipients, for an additional five years, moving its expiration date from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2030. This extension reinforces the government's ability to scrutinize potential security threats within these critical innovation programs. A significant provision of the bill codifies new safeguards, making small businesses ineligible for SBIR awards if they are majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms and are determined to be owned or controlled by a covered foreign entity . The Administrator will consider direct or indirect foreign ownership in such determinations. The bill broadly defines a covered foreign entity to include foreign entities of concern, governments of foreign countries of concern, non-U.S. persons, and various organizations or individuals linked to these, particularly those involved in activities detrimental to U.S. national security or foreign policy.
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Timeline
Jul 25, 2025
Introduced in House
Jul 25, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • July 25, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • July 25, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Commerce

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3169: SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2025
  • S 119-1573: SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2025

SBIR/STTR Foreign Interference Safeguard Act

USA119th CongressHR-4775| House 
| Updated: 7/25/2025
This legislation aims to protect federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs from foreign influence. It extends the existing due diligence program, designed to assess security risks associated with award recipients, for an additional five years, moving its expiration date from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2030. This extension reinforces the government's ability to scrutinize potential security threats within these critical innovation programs. A significant provision of the bill codifies new safeguards, making small businesses ineligible for SBIR awards if they are majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms and are determined to be owned or controlled by a covered foreign entity . The Administrator will consider direct or indirect foreign ownership in such determinations. The bill broadly defines a covered foreign entity to include foreign entities of concern, governments of foreign countries of concern, non-U.S. persons, and various organizations or individuals linked to these, particularly those involved in activities detrimental to U.S. national security or foreign policy.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

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Timeline
Jul 25, 2025
Introduced in House
Jul 25, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
  • July 25, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • July 25, 2025
    Referred to the Committee on Small Business, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Derek Tran

Derek Tran

Democratic Representative

California

Cosponsors (1)
Don Bacon (Republican)

Small Business Committee, Science, Space, and Technology Committee

Commerce

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3169: SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2025
  • S 119-1573: SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2025
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted