House passes bill to block DHS funds to universities with Confucius Institutes

WASHINGTON (TNND) — The House of Representatives took a significant step on Wednesday to curb China's influence in the U.S. education system by passing a bill that prohibits Department of Homeland Security funding from going to universities with Confucius Institutes or any ties to concerning Chinese entities.

"This is good legislation. This is necessary because when American institutions are working with Chinese researchers, it raises questions about potential intellectual property theft. There’s also that concern that China is influencing American elections and the American way of life," said Rachel O’Brien, deputy public policy director at Open the Books.

U.S. lawmakers have long expressed concerns over these Chinese government-funded programs. Back in 2019, now-former Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah questioned, "I wonder if these Confucius institutes are part of an influence campaign by the Chinese government to shape the attitudes and the minds of American children."

At one point, more than 100 Confucius Institutes were operating at U.S. colleges. Amid backlash and national security concerns, nearly all have closed in recent years. These programs also ran at K-12 schools.

A 2023 investigation by Parents Defending Education found that the Chinese Communist Party had ties to school districts near 20 U.S. military bases.

The White House has prioritized cracking down on potentially dangerous foreign influence in higher education. Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order mandating full and timely disclosure of foreign money flowing to American universities.

Since 1986, U.S. higher education has received an estimated $58 billion in foreign funding. During President Biden’s tenure, the numbers increased significantly, with U.S. colleges receiving $29 billion from foreign entities between 2021 and 2024.

Qatar is the largest foreign donor to American universities, followed by China. Harvard historically receives the most foreign money, followed by Cornell and Carnegie Mellon.