U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (D-Mich.) introduced a bill Tuesday (Feb. 23) to block federal funding for U.S. higher Education institutions that work with entities owned or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, such as the Confucius Institute.
The bill was first obtained by Fox News. The bill is called the “End College Chinese Communist Partnerships Act” or the “End College CCP Act.
It would prevent any U.S. institution of higher education or postsecondary educational institution from receiving federal funds if it has a contractual relationship with an entity owned or controlled directly or indirectly by the Chinese Communist government or “organized under the laws of the Chinese Communist Party. contractual partnership.
However, Department of Education funds provided directly to students would not be affected by Stefanik’s proposed bill.
Prior to Stefanik’s introduction of the bill, the Biden administration revoked a Trump administration rule that required participation in certain federal programs. The rule required schools participating in certain federal programs to disclose their relationship with Confucius Institutes. Confucius Institutes have been accused of promoting the views of the Chinese Communist Party in U.S. classrooms.
Bill Offers Serious Warning About Communist China’s Infiltration of U.S.
Stefanik’s bill would allow educational institutions to regain eligibility for federal funding if they disclose to the Secretary of Education “all contractual relationships” with Communist Party-related entities over the past 10 years and provide the Department of Education with “sufficient evidence that such relationships have been terminated “.
Stefanik’s bill states that Congress has found that the CCP “has been engaged in a sustained effort to undermine all aspects of American power through its influence activities within the United States” and that the CCP “has been involved in the theft of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of intellectual property and academic research on (U.S.) university campuses, national laboratories, and in the private sector. intellectual property and academic research on university campuses, national laboratories and in the private sector.
The bill also states that the CCP “seeks to recruit Chinese Americans and ethnic Chinese within the United States for intelligence gathering and coercion in order to advance the ideology and agenda of the Chinese Communist Party.
The bill also warns that the Chinese Communist Party’s ideology “has gained a foothold in all aspects of our society, including in academia, business, entertainment, and the media.
“Through the Confucius Institute, the Chinese Communist Party and its diplomats have monitored students on U.S. campuses and imposed their (CCP) views on our institutions of higher learning.” Through “propaganda efforts in the academic community,” the bill reads, the CCP “censors discussions on Tibet and Taiwan and repeatedly interferes with campus activities.”
The bill notes that CCP officers “have repeatedly used cover identities and other misleading means to conceal the true nature of their activities in the United States, including studying as students at U.S. universities” and that their (CCP) “talent recruitment programs” are designed to “attract, recruit, and train overseas talent to further China’s (CCP) strategic interests and to reward individuals for stealing U.S. intellectual property.
Stefanik proposed a similar amendment last week but it was blocked by Democrats
“House Democrats may have blocked my amendment last week, but their dangerous partisan obstructionism will not stop me from standing up for America’s (interests) and strongly opposing China (the Chinese Communist Party).” Stefanik told Fox News.
“I am proud to introduce the End Collegiate Chinese Communism Act to stop the flow of taxpayer dollars to American educational institutions that benefit the Chinese Communist Party so thoroughly.” She said.
Stefanik last week offered a similar amendment to President Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package that would have barred U.S. schools that partner with the Confucius Institute from receiving federal funds. That amendment has been blocked by Democrats.
The Confucius Institutes, which have been controversial in academic circles, are run by the Hanban, an agency of the Communist Party’s Ministry of Education, and teach Chinese language, Culture and history in elementary schools, high schools and universities around the world. A report released in August 2018 by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), a subcommittee of the U.S. Congress, revealed that the CCP has pursued a unified war overseas through academic institutions and groups such as the Confucius Institutes, organizing protests and distorting history to support Beijing‘s policy positions.
Former President Trump proposed a rule on Dec. 31, 2020, requiring schools accredited with student and exchange visitor programs to disclose agreements with Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms, including partnerships and financial transactions.
However, the rule was withdrawn by the Biden Administration in late January of this year.
Senate 2019 Report Raises Concerns About Confucius Institute Threat
According to a Senate report released in 2019, funding for Confucius Institutes “comes with strings attached that could undermine academic freedom.”
“All teachers, events and speakers are approved by the Chinese (Communist) government.” The report said.
“Chinese teachers have contracts with the Chinese (Communist) government that guarantee they will not harm the national interests of China (Communist Party).” The report said, “Such restrictions attempt to export Chinese (CCP) censorship of political debate and prevent discussion of potentially politically sensitive topics.”
The report also notes that the presence of these institutions is part of the CCP’s “broader, long-term strategy.”
“Through the Confucius Institutes, the Chinese (CCP) government is attempting to change the Perception of China as an economic and security threat in the United States and around the world,” the report said. The report said.
Intelligence and national security officials in both the Biden and Trump administrations have warned that the Chinese Communist Party poses the greatest national security threat to the United States, pointing to a number of specific threats – including espionage, intellectual property theft and malicious foreign influence.
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