What This Bill Does
This bill stops colleges and universities that work with Confucius Institutes (cultural programs funded by the Chinese government) from receiving money from the Department of Homeland Security. Schools can get DHS funding again if they end their relationships with these institutes or with certain Chinese organizations.
Who It Affects
- Colleges and universities in the United States that have agreements or contracts with Confucius Institutes or certain Chinese organizations
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The U.S. Congress committees on Homeland Security
Key Provisions
- Colleges cannot receive Department of Homeland Security funding if they have a relationship with a Confucius Institute, Thousand Talents Program (a Chinese technological or educational program), or a Chinese entity of concern (Sec. 2(b))
- A "relationship" includes any contract, agreement, donation or gift from these organizations (Sec. 2(a)(4))
- Colleges become eligible for Department of Homeland Security funding again once they end these relationships (Sec. 2(b))
- The Secretary of Homeland Security must report to Congress about colleges that have these relationships and receive DHS funds (Sec. 2(c))
What Changes
Starting 12 months after this law takes effect, colleges with ties to Confucius Institutes or the listed Chinese organizations lose access to Department of Homeland Security funding unless they break those ties.
Important Definitions
The bill defines these key terms explicitly:
- **Confucius Institute**: A cultural institute funded by the Chinese government
- **Chinese entity of concern**: Chinese universities involved in military-civil fusion (blending military and civilian technology), participating in Chinese defense industries, receiving military funding, supporting Chinese security or intelligence organizations, undermining the U.S. relationship with Taiwan, enabling forced labor of Uyghur Muslims, interfering with U.S. elections, or affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences
- **Relationship**: Any contract, agreement, donation or gift received from a Confucius Institute or Chinese entity of concern
- **Thousand Talents Program**: A technological or educational program funded or administered by the Chinese Communist Party's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
Effective Date
The funding restrictions begin in the first fiscal year that starts 12 months after the law is signed.
II
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 1516
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs
AN ACT
To establish Department of Homeland Security funding re-
strictions on institutions of higher education that have
a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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HR 1516 RDS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘DHS Restrictions on
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Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern
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Act’’.
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SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES’ HOST
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SCHOOLS.
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(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) CHINESE ENTITY OF CONCERN.—The term
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‘‘Chinese entity of concern’’ means any university or
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college in the People’s Republic of China that—
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(A) is involved in the implementation of
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military-civil fusion;
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(B) participates in the Chinese defense in-
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dustrial base;
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(C) is affiliated with the Chinese State Ad-
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ministration for Science, Technology and Indus-
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try for the National Defense;
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(D) receives funding from any organization
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subordinate to the Central Military Commission
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of the Chinese Communist Party;
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(E) provides support to any security, de-
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fense, police, or intelligence organization of the
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Government of the People’s Republic of China
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or the Chinese Communist Party;
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(F) purposefully undermines the United
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States’ relationship with Taiwan;
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HR 1516 RDS
(G) aids, abets, or enables the detention,
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imprisonment, persecution, or forced labor of
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Uyghur Muslims in the People’s Republic of
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China;
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(H) willfully and knowingly engages in ma-
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licious activities, including online disinformation
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campaigns and propaganda, for the purpose of
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interfering with United States Federal, State,
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or local elections; or
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(I) is affiliated with the Chinese Academy
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of Sciences.
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(2) CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE.—The term ‘‘Confu-
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cius Institute’’ means a cultural institute funded by
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the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
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(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The
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term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the
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meaning given such term in section 102 of the High-
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er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
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(4) RELATIONSHIP.—The term ‘‘relationship’’
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means, with respect to an institution of higher edu-
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cation, any contract awarded, or agreement entered
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into, as well as any in-kind donation or gift, received
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from a Confucius Institute or Chinese entity of con-
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cern.
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HR 1516 RDS
(5) THOUSAND TALENTS PROGRAM.—The term
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‘‘Thousand Talents Program’’ means any techno-
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logical or educational program funded or adminis-
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tered by the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of
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Industry and Information Technology.
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(b) RESTRICTIONS
ON INSTITUTIONS
OF HIGHER
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EDUCATION.—Beginning with the first fiscal year that be-
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gins after the date that is 12 months after the date of
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the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Se-
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curity shall ensure that an institution of higher education
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(referred to in this subsection as an ‘‘institution’’) which
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has a relationship with a Confucius Institute, Thousand
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Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern is ineligible
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to receive any funds from the Department of Homeland
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Security, unless the institution terminates the relationship
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between the institution and such Confucius Institute,
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Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern,
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as the case may be. Upon termination of such a relation-
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ship, the institution at issue shall be eligible to receive
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funds from the Department of Homeland Security.
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(c) REPORT.—The Secretary of Homeland Security
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shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of
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the House of Representatives and the Committee on
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Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen-
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ate a report containing information regarding any institu-
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HR 1516 RDS
tion of higher education that has a relationship with a
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Confucius Institute or Chinese entity of concern and re-
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ceives funds from the Department of Homeland Security.
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Passed the House of Representatives September 10,
2024.
Attest:
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,
Clerk.
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