Transparency for Confucius Institutes Act
Bill: S.822 | Sponsor: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha (R-TN)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Transparency for Confucius Institutes Act
This bill requires an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student-aid programs to enter into a program participation agreement if a Confucius Institute operates on the IHE's campus. (Confucius Institutes are Chinese government-funded centers for language education and cultural programming at IHEs.)
The agreement must be entered into with the Office of Chinese Language Council International (i.e., Confucius Institute Headquarters, Hanban) and be made publicly available online.
Among other requirements, the Confucius Institute must be physically located apart from the IHE's own Chinese language, history, and cultural programs.

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require program 
 participation agreements between institutions of higher education and 
     Hanban if a Confucius Institute operates on the campus of the 
                              institution.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Transparency for Confucius 
Institutes Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS AND 
              HANBAN.

    Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(30) If a Confucius Institute (as defined in section 1091 
        of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for 
        Fiscal Year 2019 (132 Stat. 1997; Public Law 115-232)) operates 
        on the campus of the institution, the institution shall enter 
        into a program participation agreement with the Office of 
        Chinese Language Council International (commonly known as 
        `Hanban') that--
                    ``(A) clearly delineates between the Confucius 
                Institute's programs and the institution's own Chinese 
                language programs;
                    ``(B) locates the Confucius Institute physically 
                apart from the Chinese language programs, Chinese 
                history programs, and Chinese cultural programs within 
                the institution's organizational structure and 
                separates promotions for the Confucius Institute from 
                promotions for the institution's Chinese language 
                programs, Chinese history programs, and Chinese 
                cultural programs;
                    ``(C) removes the Chinese assistant director 
                position from the Confucius Institute;
                    ``(D) subjects the staff and professors of the 
                Confucius Institute to appropriate background checks;
                    ``(E) is publicly available in its entirety online;
                    ``(F) does not have a confidentiality section; and
                    ``(G) provides that the institution has final 
                decision-making authority, including with regard to 
                conference themes, guest speakers, and topics for 
                events on campus at the institution.''.
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