---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19231"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19231"
heading: "Requirements for foreign talent recruitment programs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19231"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter VI — Miscellaneous Science and Technology Provisions"
  - "Part C — Research Security"
---

# §19231. Requirements for foreign talent recruitment programs

- (a) **Purpose—** The purpose of this part is to direct actions to prohibit participation in any foreign talent recruitment program by personnel of [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) and to prohibit participation in a [malign foreign talent recruitment program](/usc/42/19237.md?p=4) by [covered individuals](/usc/42/19237.md?p=1) involved with [research and development awards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=25) from those [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
- (b) **Guidance—** Not later than 180 days after August 9, 2022, the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in coordination with the interagency working group established under section 1746 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 ([42 U.S.C. 6601](/usc/42/6601.md) note; Public Law 116–92), shall publish and widely distribute a uniform set of guidelines for [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) regarding foreign talent recruitment programs. Such policy guidelines shall—
  - (1) prohibit all personnel of each [Federal research agency](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10), including Federal employees, contract employees, independent contractors, individuals serving under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 ([42 U.S.C. 4701](/usc/42/4701.md) et seq[^1] ), Visiting Scientist, Engineering, and Educator appointments, and special government employees other than peer reviewers, from participating in a foreign talent recruitment program;
  - (2) as part of the requirements under [section 6605 of this title](/usc/42/6605.md), require [covered individuals](/usc/42/19237.md?p=1) to disclose if such individuals are a party to a foreign talent recruitment program contract, agreement, or other arrangement;
  - (3) prohibit [research and development awards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=25) from being made for any proposal in which a [covered individual](/usc/42/19237.md?p=1) is participating in a [malign foreign talent recruitment program](/usc/42/19237.md?p=4); and
  - (4) to the extent practicable, require [recipient](/usc/42/18901.md?p=24) institutions to prohibit [covered individuals](/usc/42/19237.md?p=1) participating in [malign foreign talent recruitment programs](/usc/42/19237.md?p=4) from working on [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) supported by [research and development awards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=25).
- (c) **Definition of foreign talent recruitment programs—** As part of the guidance under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall define and describe the characteristics of a foreign talent recruitment program.
- (d) **Implementation—** Not later than one year after August 9, 2022, each [Federal research agency](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) shall issue a policy utilizing the guidelines under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (e) **Consistency—** The [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall ensure that the policies issued by the [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) under [subsection (d)](#d) are consistent to the greatest extent practicable.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title VI, § 10631, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1664.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is Pub. L. 91–648, Jan. 5, 1971, 84 Stat. 1909, which is classified principally to chapter 62 (§ 4701 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4701 of this title and Tables.