Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is really rather simple. It is about transparency. It is about simply moving the reporting requirements. My amendment reduces the threshold for the value of gifts that must be reported from $50,000 to $1. It simply lowers the threshold. Mr. Chairman, this is about transparency.

The underlying bill, which represents a solid and sorely needed first step, advertises much-needed transparency. If we are going to stop America's foreign adversaries from targeting our Nation's educational institutions and students, we need transparency at every level.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, the Trump administration discovered $6.5 billion in previously unreported foreign money to universities from adversarial countries.

In response to the terrorist attack against Israel, I think it is important that we make it tougher. That we make it more clear who is trying to unduly influence our universities and our students--the future of America.

Qatar, an anti-Semitic country, earlier this week accused Israel of committing genocide, has contributed $5 billion to U.S. universities. There are billions of dollars going unreported. Saudi Arabia has contributed $3 billion. This can't be allowed.

We have foreign adversaries, adversaries of Israel, adversaries of the West, adversaries of America donating to universities, and we need to know. That is all we are asking.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I think it is important to understand that we are in a new day. October 7 changed the world.

Qatar, for example, has praised Hamas. They have literally praised the systematic rape of women and the torture and rape of little girls. Surely, my colleagues understand why reporting donations is so paramount.

I can't stand by and pretend that this isn't going on. Qatar is trying to buy forgiveness--$500 million to Hamas. How many rapes did that pay for, Mr. Chairman? How much is enough to absolve their sins?

I am appalled that anyone would be opposed to this. We need reporting. We need transparency. We are in a new day. The West is under attack.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, I could go on about Al Jazeera, which is funded by Qatar, praising the torture. They were cutting off the genitals of men. They were cutting off the breasts of women. They were gang-raping women.

Foreign contributions need to be found out, discovered, and disclosed. The only way to make sure that nothing is slipping through the cracks is to lower the threshold.

There is no reason to oppose this amendment. If the universities are doing nothing wrong, then they have nothing to hide.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of my amendment. It is common sense, and it takes a stand against the atrocities that took place in Israel, the pay-fors, and the forgiveness that Qatar is trying to buy through our American universities.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source