Preventing Malign CCP Influence on Academic Institutions Act

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose certain ties to organizations affiliated with the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and the People’s Liberation Army, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventing Malign CCP Influence on Academic Institutions Act 2. Disclosures of foreign gifts Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1011f (1) in subsection (a), by striking Whenever Except as provided in subsection (d), whenever (2) by redesignating subsections (d) through (h) as subsections (e) through (i), respectively; (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: (d) Special rules relating to PRC-, CCP-, and PLA-Affiliated organizations (1) Enhanced disclosures of gifts and contracts (A) In general Whenever any institution receives a gift from or enters into a contract with a PRC-, CCP-, or PLA-affiliated organization, the value of which is $5,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that organization within a calendar year, the institution shall file a disclosure report with the Secretary on January 31 or July 31, whichever is sooner. (B) Contents of report Each report under subparagraph (A) shall include— (i) the information described in subsections (b) and (c) (as applicable); (ii) the full legal name of the individual or organization that made the gift or entered into the contract to which the disclosure pertains; and (iii) instructions for accessing the information made available under paragraph (3). (2) Disclosure of joint activities On an annual basis, any institution that receives funds under a Federal grant program shall file a disclosure report with the Secretary that identifies any activities conducted pursuant to a contract or other agreement between the institution and a PRC-, CCP-, or PLA-affiliated organization, including any joint research or academic exchanges. (3) Public availability of agreements Each institution shall make available, on a publicly accessible website of the institution, the full text of any contract, agreement, or memorandum of understanding between the institution and a PRC-, CCP-, or PLA-affiliated organization (regardless of whether the contract, agreement, or memorandum remains in effect). ; and (4) in subsection (i), as so redesignated— (A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and (B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following: (5) The term PRC-, CCP-, or PLA-affiliated organization (A) a cultural, language, or educational institute or program; (B) a think tank that has received more than $100,000 in one calendar year or more than 10 percent of the total funding for such think tank for that year, whichever is less, from the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, or the People’s Liberation Army, or individuals affiliated with such organizations; (C) a person who is a current member of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, or the People’s Liberation Army, or is otherwise active in collaborating with such organizations as an employee or advisor; (D) a Chinese State-owned enterprise or partially or wholly owned subsidiary of a Chinese State-owned enterprise; and (E) a company, think tank, nonprofit, or other similar entity, which has on its board of directors or with equity ownership or voting control in excess of 5 percent any members of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, or the People’s Liberation Army, or executives of a Chinese State-owned enterprise, including the president, vice president, or any other officer who performs a policy making function or any other person who performs similar policy making functions for such enterprise, including an executive officer of a subsidiary of such enterprise who performs such policy making functions. .

Summary: Preventing Malign CCP Influence on Academic Institutions Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disclose information regarding gifts from and contracts with organizations affiliated with China's government, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or the People's Liberation Army (PLA), including certain educational institutes or programs, think tanks, and business entities. Under current law, an IHE must disclose to the Department of Education (ED) a gift or contract from a foreign source that is valued at $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that foreign source. This bill establishes a special disclosure rule relating to organizations affiliated with China's government, the CCP, or the PLA. Specifically, the bill requires an IHE to disclose a gift from or contract with such an organization that is valued at $5,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with that organization. Additionally, the bill requires an IHE that receives federal grants to annually file a report with ED that identifies any activities conducted pursuant to a contract or other agreement between the IHE and such an organization, including any joint research or academic exchanges. Such contracts or agreements must be publicly available on the IHE's website.