U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Jim Banks (R-IN) have introduced the Safeguarding American Education From Foreign Control Act. This legislation aims to require universities to disclose all gifts they receive from foreign adversaries, regardless of the amount.
The bill’s sponsors argue that it aligns with President Trump’s “America First” agenda by seeking to prevent foreign money and influence from infiltrating American higher education institutions. Senator Tuberville previously cosponsored this legislation during the 118th Congress.
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“The Chinese Communist Party wants to brainwash our kids and destroy our country — not on my watch. The CCP has made it clear their plan of action is to infiltrate our education system and indoctrinate our kids. It is astounding that we have allowed universities to get away with taking money from a country that hates us,” said Tuberville. “I was glad to see Troy University in Alabama close its CCP-backed Confucius Institute, and hope other universities will follow their lead. Transparency about how China is funding our schools is not only vital to our national security — our kids’ futures depend on it.”
“Americans deserve to know if universities are accepting money from our enemies like China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. This bill delivers that transparency and stops hostile nations from hiding their influence on our campuses,” said Sen. Banks.
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The Safeguarding American Education from Foreign Control Act includes the following key provisions:
- Requiring Disclosures: Universities are mandated to report all gift disclosures from foreign sources associated with a “covered nation” (defined as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea). They must also report information required by Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and any investigations enacted by the Department of Education.
- Guaranteeing Transparency: The bill ensures transparency by requiring the Department of Education to transmit disclosure reports to the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the Department of State.
- Enforcing Accountability: The legislation grants the FBI and the ODNI the authority to request that the Department of Justice bring forward action against universities for failure to comply with disclosure requirements.
According to the Americans for Public Trust, China donated over $175 million to American universities last year.
In August 2023, Senator Tuberville and 19 other Senate colleagues sent a letter to the Biden Administration’s Department of Education (ED) to express their concern about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) infiltration of U.S. classrooms through Confucius programming. Confucius programming involves partnerships between schools, universities, or non-profits and a Chinese government entity.
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A July 2023 report revealed that over 143 U.S. schools across 34 states and the District of Columbia have received CCP-related funding and that the CCP has ties to 20 school districts near U.S. military bases.
In February 2023, Senator Tuberville informed Troy University that future funding opportunities could be at risk if they did not terminate their Confucius Institute program, which they subsequently did.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) also joined Senators Tuberville and Banks in cosponsoring the bill. Representative Erin Houchin (R-IN-09) is leading the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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