# Understanding the SAFE Laboratories Act

This bill would ban U.S. federal agencies from sending money or resources to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, as well as any other research laboratories located in countries that the State Department considers hostile to the United States. The countries specifically mentioned are China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. The ban would apply to all types of assistance—whether direct funding, equipment, research collaboration, or any other form of support.

The practical effect is that American government agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, or any other federal department could no longer partner with or fund research at these foreign laboratories. This would prevent U.S. taxpayer money from flowing to research institutions in adversarial nations. The bill gives the Secretary of State the power to decide which countries count as "foreign adversaries," so the list could potentially expand beyond the four countries named.

For most Americans, this bill wouldn't directly change their daily lives, but it could affect scientific research and international collaboration. Some researchers who work with international partners might face restrictions on their projects, and certain types of collaborative research between American and foreign scientists could become impossible if they involve federal funding. The bill reflects concerns about national security and preventing sensitive research or technology from benefiting countries viewed as threats to U.S. interests, though supporters and critics disagree about whether such restrictions help or hurt American scientific progress.

SAFE Laboratories Act

Stewart, Chris

Stop Adversarial Funding Expenditures for Laboratories Act or the SAFE Laboratories Act This bill prohibits federal assistance to the Wuhan Institute of Virology or any other laboratory located in a country determined to be a foreign adversary, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.