Rep. August Pfluger
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday advanced legislation led by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) that would prohibit any U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from going to universities that host a Confucius Institute or maintain a relationship with a Chinese entity of concern.
“The bipartisan passage of my legislation today sends a clear message: America’s universities and research labs will no longer be used to steal critical research, recruit talent for military-civil fusion enterprises, conduct espionage, commit transnational repression, and influence academic institutions to the benefit of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party],” Rep. Pfluger said on May 7. “This is a victory for our national security and future generations of Americans.”
The U.S. Senate is now considering the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, H.R. 881, which the congressman sponsored on Jan. 31 with three Republican original cosponsors.
If enacted, H.R. 881 would require that DHS ensure that an American institution of higher education (IHE) that has awarded a contract to, entered into an agreement with, or received an in-kind donation or gift from a Confucius Institute, Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern is ineligible to receive any federal funds unless the IHE terminates the relationship. The IHE may regain eligibility for these funds upon termination of the relationship, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
“The CCP has proven to be an untrustworthy, adversarial actor by continually undermining American interests at every turn — in no world should they have a front-row seat in our classrooms funded by our own taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Pfluger.
At their peak, the United States hosted approximately 118 Confucius Institutes, primarily at colleges and universities. Today, there are fewer than 14 active Confucius Institutes, but Rep. Pfluger said the danger remains, noting that many of these programs have rebranded themselves within universities with the same mission as before: to subvert national security and expand CCP influence operations.
The Senate has referred H.R. 881 to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for consideration.