PRC Students Act
Latest action (17 Dec 2024): Introduced
What this bill does
S. 5544, the "PRC Students Act" (also titled the "Promoting Reciprocity on Chinese Students Act"), was introduced in the Senate on December 17, 2024, by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), with Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) as a cosponsor. It was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
The bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary of State, starting in fiscal year 2025, to reduce by 50,000 each year the number of Chinese nationals allowed to stay in the U.S. under certain nonimmigrant visa categories (F-1 student, J-1 exchange visitor, and M-1 vocational student visas), continuing until that total matches the number of U.S. citizens enrolled in postsecondary programs in China. It would also bar Chinese nationals on F-1 student visas from enrolling in U.S. postsecondary programs involving sensitive dual-use topics, such as naval architecture, aircraft engineering, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, or other fields the Secretary of Defense designates as having potential military application.
The bill primarily affects Chinese nationals seeking or holding certain U.S. student and exchange visas, as well as U.S. colleges and universities that host them. The restrictions would end automatically once the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that China has lifted specified restrictions on American students, including internal travel controls, internet/database access limits, exit-ban and detention threats, and access to all Chinese universities.
As an introduced bill referred to committee, it has not been voted on and would need committee and floor action in both chambers, plus presidential signature, to become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill was introduced on December 17, 2024, in a previous session of Congress, but it did not receive a vote.
Common questions
- What does S. 5544 do?
- S. 5544, the "PRC Students Act" (also titled the "Promoting Reciprocity on Chinese Students Act"), was introduced in the Senate on December 17, 2024, by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), with Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) as a cosponsor. It was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The bill would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary of State, starting in fiscal year 2025, to reduce by 50,000 each year the number of Chinese nationals allowed to stay in the U.S. under certain nonimmigrant visa categories (F-1 student, J-1 exchange visitor, and M-1 vocational student visas), continuing until that total matches the number of U.S. citizens enrolled in postsecondary programs in China. It would also bar Chinese nationals on F-1 student visas from enrolling in U.S. postsecondary programs involving sensitive dual-use topics, such as naval architecture, aircraft engineering, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, or other fields the Secretary of Defense designates as having potential military application. The bill primarily affects Chinese nationals seeking or holding certain U.S. student and exchange visas, as well as U.S. colleges and universities that host them. The restrictions would end automatically once the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that China has lifted specified restrictions on American students, including internal travel controls, internet/database access limits, exit-ban and detention threats, and access to all Chinese universities. As an introduced bill referred to committee, it has not been voted on and would need committee and floor action in both chambers, plus presidential signature, to become law.
- Has S. 5544 become law?
- Not yet. As of 17 Dec 2024, S. 5544 is introduced.
- Who sponsored S. 5544?
- S. 5544 was sponsored by Sen. Dan Sullivan [R-AK] (Republican-AK), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on S. 5544?
- Introduced (17 Dec 2024).
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