So a provision that had floated around earlier spending bills and continuing resolutions has made it into the appropriations bill that gives agencies funding for the rest of the year.
Specifically, it prohibits NASA from working in any with China, on anything. At all. It also prohibits NASA from hosting official visitors from China.
According to a NASA spokesman, the agency is following the law and conducting a larger assessment on what it would mean for the agency.It has already caused the cancellation of some projects too. From the same spokesman.
The agency currently has only one active agreement with the Chinese Academy of Sciences concerning geodynamics research, which has been suspended. Additionally, bilateral science working groups that were established with the Chinese National Space Administration have suspended operations.
And for those of you curious ones, here is the full text of Sec. 1340, which prohibits working with China.
SEC. 1340. (a) None of the funds made available by this division
may be used for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
or the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop, design,
plan, promulgate, implement, or execute a bilateral policy, program,
order, or contract of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate
bilaterally in any way with China or any Chinese-owned
company unless such activities are specifically authorized by a
law enacted after the date of enactment of this division.
(b) The limitation in subsection (a) shall also apply to any
funds used to effectuate the hosting of official Chinese visitors
at facilities belonging to or utilized by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.
And here is a link to the PDF of the legislation.
