Bill 118 s 2234, also known as the Deterring Egregious State Infiltration of Schools’ Training Act, aims to address concerns about foreign influence in American educational institutions. The bill specifically targets the Confucius Institutes, which are Chinese government-funded cultural centers that operate on many college campuses across the United States.
The bill seeks to prevent these institutes from exerting undue influence on academic freedom and stifling free speech on college campuses. It requires schools to disclose any foreign gifts or contracts they have with these institutes and prohibits the use of federal funds for any programs or activities that are controlled or funded by a foreign government.
Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Education to create a list of foreign entities that are known to be engaged in propaganda or espionage activities on college campuses. Schools that have partnerships with these entities would be required to disclose this information to the Department of Education.
Overall, the Deterring Egregious State Infiltration of Schools’ Training Act aims to protect the integrity of American educational institutions and ensure that foreign governments are not able to exert undue influence over academic activities.