GATE Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
Introduced
Summary
Prohibits admission and access to U.S. National Laboratories by foreign nationals from five specified countries. This bill would also create a narrow, case-by-case waiver process run by the Secretary of Energy and require Congress to be notified when waivers are granted.
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- National Laboratories would have to bar any "covered foreign national" from entering or accessing facilities, information, or technology as a visitor or assignee, including people who already had approval on the effective date.
- People from the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Cuba would be treated as covered foreign nationals unless they are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
- The Secretary of Energy could issue waivers only after consulting the DOE Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence and senior counterintelligence officials, including senior FBI counterintelligence leaders.
- When a waiver is issued, the Secretary must notify six specified congressional committees within 30 days and provide the country of origin, request date, decision date, and reasons.
- The bill does not create new funding, tax changes, or programmatic appropriations.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Lab access limits for certain nationals
If enacted, National Laboratories would be barred from admitting as a visitor or an assignee any foreign national from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, or Cuba. The ban would begin on the date of enactment and would not apply to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (green card holders). An assignee would be someone accessing a lab's premises, information, or technology for more than 30 consecutive days; a visitor would be someone staying for less than 30 consecutive days. Labs would also have to prohibit access by any covered foreign national who had sought or obtained approval as of the enactment date. The Secretary of Energy could grant a written waiver only after consulting DOE intelligence officials and a senior counterintelligence official and certifying that the benefits to the United States outweigh the national security and economic risks; the Secretary would have to notify six specified congressional committees within 30 days and explain the decision, including country of origin and dates.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
NC • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Sponsored 8/31/2026
Rep. Haridopolos, Mike [R-FL-8]
FL • R
Sponsored 8/31/2026
Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9]
AZ • R
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 9/14/2026
Rep. Van Epps, Matt [R-TN-7]
TN • R
Sponsored 9/16/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov