The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that restricts federal funding from any school that receives funding from the Chinese Communist Party.
The Promoting Responsible Oversight to Eliminate Communist Teachings for Our Kids Act, introduced by Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) in February, passed the House with 247 votes. 164 Democrats voted against the legislation.
The legislation aims to stop the flow of CCP funding to K-12 classrooms across the country.
“Authoritarian regimes around the world, like the Chinese Communist Party, are trying to use lucrative financial ties with schools to undermine American values and interests,” Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) said. “Confucius Classrooms are a prime example of how foreign-funded programs can shape curricula and exert influence in our K-12 classrooms.”
“I am pleased to see my colleagues recognize the need to protect our students and increase transparency when it comes to foreign funding in education. American schools should teach critical thinking—not enemy propaganda,” Walberg added.
Before the passage of the PROTECT Act, the chamber passed another bill to counter communist Chinese influence in school systems.
Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) introduced the Combatting the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems Act, which passed the House with 242 votes on Wednesday.
The bill will prohibit federally funded elementary and secondary schools from accepting funds from or entering into a contract with the Chinese government, the CCP, or any person or entity acting on their behalf. The bill also requires schools to disclose funding and contracts with a foreign source to the Department of Education.
“The CCP’s attempts to shape narratives in our classrooms threaten the fairness and independence of American education,” Joyce said. “Given China’s growing influence in education worldwide, taking commonsense steps to protect our children and safeguard the integrity of our school systems is essential.
Joyce said the passage of his bill reaffirms Congress’s commitment to countering the mounting Chinese influence in American academia.
CONGRESS DEMANDS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CUT TIES WITH CHINA
“Today’s House passage of the CLASS Act reflects a commitment from Congress to keep our schools free from foreign influence and protect our children’s learning environment,” the representative added.
After the passage of the two bills, the House is set to vote on Rep. Aaron Bean’s (R-FL) Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act. The legislation seeks to ensure that each elementary and secondary school served by the local education agency notifies parents of their rights to request and receive information regarding foreign influence in schools.
