Securing Academia from Foreign Entanglements Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4902
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-08-05: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T22:54:12Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prevent U.S. colleges and universities from accepting gifts or contracts from foreign countries viewed as national security risks, aiming to reduce foreign influence in higher education.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: "Securing Academia from Foreign Entanglements Act."
- Amendment to Disclosures: Updates existing foreign gift reporting rules to exclude "foreign countries of concern" from standard disclosure requirements.
- New Prohibition (Section 117A): Institutions may not receive gifts or enter contracts with defined foreign countries of concern.
- Definitions:
- Foreign country of concern includes "covered nations" under existing defense law (such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran) plus any other country the Education Secretary designates, after consulting Defense, State, and intelligence officials, as engaging in actions harmful to U.S. security or foreign policy.
- Gift, contract, and institution carry the same meanings as in current law.
- Rule of Construction: The ban does not restrict payment of tuition, room and board, or other standard costs of attendance.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Current rules under Section 117 require disclosure of foreign gifts and contracts above certain thresholds. This bill adds an outright prohibition for countries of concern, shifting from transparency requirements to a complete ban on such funding sources.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases coordination among the Departments of Education, Defense, and State, plus the Director of National Intelligence, for ongoing country designations.
- Higher Education Institutions: Requires review of all foreign funding sources and potential loss of revenue from restricted countries.
- Citizens and Students: Limits institutional access to certain foreign funds but explicitly preserves normal tuition and fee payments from individuals.
- International Relations: May reduce academic partnerships and exchanges with designated countries, potentially affecting diplomatic and research ties.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. colleges and universities.
- Foreign governments designated as countries of concern.
- Federal agencies involved in national security reviews.
- Students and researchers who rely on institutional funding or international collaborations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill exercises Congress's authority over federal higher education funding conditions. It may raise questions about institutional autonomy and academic freedom, though it targets only specific foreign government sources rather than individual speech or association. Designations involve executive branch discretion, which could lead to future legal challenges over the scope of "detrimental" conduct.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Recent Actions
- 2025-08-05: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-08-05: Introduced in House
- 2025-08-05: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Securing Academia from Foreign Entanglements Act — issued 2025-08-05 — PDF (3 pages)