S. 3996: A bill to amend the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979, relating to the conduct of knowledge diplomacy.

116th Congress · introduced 2020-06-18 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-06-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to amend the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979, relating to the conduct of knowledge diplomacy.

Plain summary

This bill modifies U.S. policy and establishes requirements with respect to knowledge diplomacy (i.e., the role of international science and technology agreements in foreign relations). Specifically, the bill declares it to be U.S. policy that federally supported international science and technology agreements should serve U.S. national security and economic interests. Further, it requires the Department of State to (1) identify vulnerabilities in international cooperation that may place federally funded research at risk, (2) strengthen the security and integrity of U.S. scientific and research collaborations with foreign partners, and (3) encourage the international scientific community to adopt and adhere to U.S. scientific values. The bill also requires the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to submit a biennial report on compliance with U.S. policy across such science and technology agreements.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to amend the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979, relating to the conduct of knowledge diplomacy.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH] · 14 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Josh Hawley (R-MO), James E. Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3996.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3996 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116