US Federal Senate Bill SB1694

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/8/25
• Refer: 5/8/25

Caption

DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act

Summary

SB 1694, titled the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act,” would bar institutions of higher education from receiving Department of Homeland Security funds if they maintain a relationship with a Confucius Institute or with a defined “Chinese entity of concern.” The bill defines those entities broadly to include certain universities or colleges in China tied to military-civil fusion, the Chinese defense industrial base, the Chinese state defense science agency, the Central Military Commission, or organizations supporting Chinese security, defense, police, or intelligence functions. The restriction would apply beginning with the first fiscal year that starts after a 12-month period following enactment. A college or university could regain eligibility for DHS funding by terminating the prohibited relationship. The bill does not create a new grant program or regulatory scheme beyond conditioning DHS funding on the absence of these relationships, and it relies on existing Higher Education Act definitions for “institution of higher education.”

Impact

The bill would amend the practical eligibility rules for federal homeland security funding by making DHS grants and other DHS funds unavailable to colleges and universities that have contracts, agreements, gifts, or in-kind donations from Confucius Institutes or covered Chinese entities of concern. Although it does not directly amend the Higher Education Act, it incorporates that act’s definition of higher education institutions and would create a new federal funding condition affecting universities, their international partnerships, and their access to DHS resources. Institutions would need to sever any covered relationship to restore eligibility.

Sentiment

Based on the bill’s sponsorship and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the available context suggests a generally skeptical or restrictive posture toward Confucius Institutes and Chinese government-linked academic relationships. The bill’s framing reflects concern about foreign influence, national security, and ties to Chinese military or intelligence structures. No contrary viewpoints are documented in the supplied record, so the sentiment appears one-sided and supportive among the sponsors, with no formal opposition captured here.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely whether the bill’s definitions are too broad and whether conditioning DHS funding on the termination of academic relationships could interfere with university autonomy, research collaboration, and international exchange. Supporters are likely to argue that Confucius Institutes and certain Chinese institutions present national security risks because of their ties to the Chinese government and military-civil fusion. Critics would likely focus on the breadth of the “Chinese entity of concern” definition, the potential for collateral impact on legitimate academic partnerships, and the possibility that the funding restriction could pressure institutions to end otherwise lawful educational or cultural arrangements.