Representatives Elise Stefanik and Jim Banks have introduced the Halting Academic Liaisons To (HALT) Our Adversaries Act, aiming to prevent US taxpayer dollars from supporting the militaries of China and Russia through academic partnerships. The bill prohibits federal funding for US academic institutions that maintain contractual partnerships with institutions in China and Russia identified by the Pentagon as supporting their respective militaries. The legislation specifically targets universities and companies linked to the Chinese government, and also restricts Intelligence Community funding to US institutions partnered with Chinese military companies or affiliated universities.

Stefanik emphasized the importance of safeguarding US taxpayer money from bolstering adversarial militaries, highlighting China and Russia as foreign adversaries. Banks echoed this concern, citing the risk of intellectual property theft and espionage through university collaborations. He stressed the need to protect cutting-edge research conducted at US institutions, like Purdue University in his home state of Indiana, which provides a crucial advantage to the US defense industry.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action has expressed support for the bill, stating that it will help protect critical US investments in research from falling into the hands of adversaries. This legislation comes amidst heightened tensions with Russia due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increased aggression from China, including reported attempts to establish a spy base in Cuba, the recent Chinese spy balloon incident, and ongoing concerns about a potential invasion of Taiwan.

Stefanik previously criticized the Biden administration's decision to send Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China following the government email intrusion, accusing the administration of legitimizing the Chinese Communist Party's aggressive actions.