The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) has sent a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees urging them to strike the SAFE Research Act provision from the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In the letter, AASF educated Congress on how the proposed legislation would harm U.S. competitiveness, undermine the research enterprise, hurt the U.S. talent pipeline, and negatively impact Asian American scholars, scientists, and researchers, as well as the broader research community. Through this letter, AASF reaffirmed its commitment to working with Congress to strengthen U.S. leadership in science and technology, while upholding the core American values of transparency, clarity, fairness, due process, and non-discrimination.
Gisela Perez Kusakawa, Executive Director of the Asian American Scholar Forum, stated:
“The SAFE Research Act, as written, risks repeating the same mistakes that eroded trust in our country and had a detrimental chilling effect on the research community. Protecting our American values and maintaining our global competitiveness and national interests are not mutually exclusive goals. To maintain U.S. leadership in science and technology, we must endeavor to maintain the thriving research ecosystem that laid the foundation for American competitiveness and innovation. The United States must continue to attract and maintain the best minds from around the world. That is what has always driven our scientific excellence and innovation.
For this to happen, we need clear, fair, and smart evidence-based policies. Unfortunately, the SAFE Research Act would take us multiple steps back. It would further the chilling effect on the Asian American and broader research community. The provision would require a five year look back that would effectively lead to retroactive punishments for past activities that were lawful, allowed, or even encouraged. It raises concerns on whether co-authorship would be effectively banned and whether the policy is so overly broad that it could in practice capture all collaboration or partnerships. This should alarm all of us. This could potentially include every international program or activity, impeding the ability of our researchers and academic institutions to be playing at the same level as our allies, competitors, and adversaries.
Moreover, we have learned from the past that overly broad policies could leave room for arbitrary or biased application. Those that would be most impacted would be Asian American scientists, scholars, and researchers, particularly of Chinese descent who have been scapegoated time and time again as “perpetual foreigners” in the country that they call home. Our Asian American community has laid the foundation for many of the innovations that have made America great and improved the daily lives of all Americans from the ability to access WiFi everywhere to being able to have video calls with loved ones. We are at the frontlines of hospitals across the country protecting and servicing our communities on the ground. We need policies that uplift and benefit our communities. We must remain true to our American values, and in doing so, remain a beacon of innovation and scientific leadership in the world.”
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Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) is a national nonprofit that promotes belonging, freedom, and equality for all. In response to heightened anti-Asian sentiments and profiling in the U.S., AASF has been a leading national voice fighting for the rights of Asian American and immigrant scientists, researchers, and scholars. AASF membership includes members from the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Science, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, in addition to past and current university presidents, provosts, vice provosts, deans, associate deans, and past and current department chairs.