July 20, 2023
Foreign Influence on Campus Focus of House Hearing
The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing to address and expose the dangers of the influence of foreign adversaries on college campuses in an effort to highlight the Department of Education’s lack of guidance and enforcement on the reporting on foreign gifts.
Republicans blamed the Department for allowing foreign access to university research, particularly from China, and called for increased enforcement of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act and investigations into university funding. Democrats emphasized the need for better guidance from the Department and reproached the Republican party, particularly during the Trump Administration, for profiling Asian-American students and faculty.
Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) attacked universities for valuing “profit over patriotism” when they accept foreign funding from entities such as the Chinese Communist Party, which he characterized as wanting access to American higher education for Chinese students but also access to research and intellectual property to steal.
Ranking Member Frederica Wilson (D-FL) highlighted the need for universities to be transparent about the partnerships with and funding from foreign entities, but stressed that the Department needs to issue clear guidance for institutions to adequately comply with the reporting in Section 117.
The committee heard from Paul Moore, J.D., senior counsel, Defense of Freedom Institute, who served in the Department of Education Office of General Counsel during the Trump Administration. He discussed the need for the Department to continue investigations into university behavior with foreign entities. Another witness, Craig Singleton, China Program deputy director and senior fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discussed foreign influence on campus and was critical of higher education partnerships with foreign entities, especially China. And John C. Yang, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, focused on the problematic messaging about Asian-American students and faculty, particularly during the Trump Administration.
Republicans blamed the Department for allowing foreign access to university research, particularly from China, and called for increased enforcement of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act and investigations into university funding. Democrats emphasized the need for better guidance from the Department and reproached the Republican party, particularly during the Trump Administration, for profiling Asian-American students and faculty.
Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) attacked universities for valuing “profit over patriotism” when they accept foreign funding from entities such as the Chinese Communist Party, which he characterized as wanting access to American higher education for Chinese students but also access to research and intellectual property to steal.
Ranking Member Frederica Wilson (D-FL) highlighted the need for universities to be transparent about the partnerships with and funding from foreign entities, but stressed that the Department needs to issue clear guidance for institutions to adequately comply with the reporting in Section 117.
The committee heard from Paul Moore, J.D., senior counsel, Defense of Freedom Institute, who served in the Department of Education Office of General Counsel during the Trump Administration. He discussed the need for the Department to continue investigations into university behavior with foreign entities. Another witness, Craig Singleton, China Program deputy director and senior fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discussed foreign influence on campus and was critical of higher education partnerships with foreign entities, especially China. And John C. Yang, president and executive director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, focused on the problematic messaging about Asian-American students and faculty, particularly during the Trump Administration.
For more information, please contact:
Stephanie T. Giesecke