H.R. 401: American Science First Act

118th Congress · introduced 2023-01-20 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2023-01-20 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. 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

American Science First Act

Plain summary

American Science First Act This bill prohibits the National Science Foundation (NSF) from providing grants or other forms of assistance to certain foreign individuals and entities. Specifically, the NSF may not support any individual or entity that is affiliated or otherwise has a relationship, including but not limited to a research partnership, joint venture, or contract, with an entity included on the entity list under the Export Administration Regulations, which identifies foreign entities subject to license requirements for the export, reexport, or transfer of certain items; a Chinese military company operating in the United States or any of its territories or possessions on the list required under the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, or required under the Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, or any successor list; or any parent, subsidiary, affiliate of, or entity owned by or controlled by any such entity.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

American Science First Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Byron Donalds (R-FL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] reported raising $1.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-118hr401.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/118/hr>

Record fed-us-cong118-hr401 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong118 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong118