Dhs Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GUEST. 1516.

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Mr. GUEST. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Today, I rise in support of Congressman Pfluger's bill, H.R. 1516, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act.

We all know that the Chinese Communist Party will stop at nothing to undermine the United States and our allies as they attempt to reshape the world order. Proving this point is the extent the CCP is willing to go to expand its intelligence and influence apparatus.

In the past 2 years, we have seen the CCP fly a spy balloon across the continental United States. We have seen troves of data collected from CCP-aligned mobile applications. Also, recently, we have learned of an aide to the Governor of New York who acted covertly with her husband to advance the agenda of the CCP within the New York State capital.

One of our Nation's most glaring vulnerabilities is the CCP's attempt to influence our Nation's educational system. It should concern every American that billions of dollars from the CCP are flowing into our K- 12 classrooms and institutions of higher education.

Originally established to promote Chinese language and culture, Confucius Institutes have increasingly come under scrutiny for their ability to influence and control the narrative around critical issues affecting our Nation's interests. These organizations have helped the CCP advance their strategic goals and gain valuable intelligence on the United States.

Congress has taken steps to address this issue, but more remains to be done. The legislation that we are here to debate today is a critical step in stopping the CCP's reach into the American educational system by prohibiting DHS dollars from going to institutes of higher education if these institutes maintain a relationship with a Confucius Institute or a Chinese entity of concern.

H.R. 1516 is delivering on our promise to the American people that House Republicans will do everything in our power to counter the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. This bill protects American values by safeguarding our institutions, promoting transparency, and ensuring our academic environment remains a space for free and independent thought.

I also thank Congressman Pfluger for his work on this legislation, and I look forward to today's debate and encourage all my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

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Mr. GUEST. Madam Chair, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger), my good friend.

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Mr. GUEST. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Moolenaar).

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Mr. GUEST. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Steel).

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Mr. GUEST. Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

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Mr. GUEST. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, today, we heard varying opinions on what our Nation must do to secure our universities from the CCP's malign influence. H.R. 1516 is one of the strongest bills the House has considered to counter the threats posed by the CCP on our educational system.

This legislation safeguards taxpayers' hard-earned dollars from going to our Nation's top adversary. It undermines the CCP's influence apparatus that has been used to sway public opinion and protects the critical research and development taking place at our universities across the country.

To those who claim that this bill will do more harm than good or that this bill is overly broad, I disagree with those assertions and argue that this bill instead sends a clear message to the CCP that their interference will not be tolerated on our college campuses.

I hope that we have a strong bipartisan vote today to demonstrate that we can work together in addressing threats from America's greatest adversary.

Mr. Chair, I thank Congressman Pfluger for offering this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. GUEST. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition, even though I am not opposed to the amendment.

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Mr. GUEST. Mr. Chair, as we look to the basis of the amendment, we see that this amendment deals with election interference, something that I believe both parties share concerns about.

We know that in less than 60 days people from across this great land will go to the polls, and they will select our next President. They will determine which party controls the majority here in this Chamber as well as which party controls the majority in the United States Senate.

I have great concerns that China and our other adversaries across the globe will use this opportunity to try to sow dissent among the American public, that they will try to pit Americans versus Americans on their disinformation platform, that they will be pushing across traditional and across more than not social media.

I believe that this is why it is so important that we do everything within our power to protect our election integrity, whether it be to stop the influence of China, Russia, Iran, any of our adversaries, but also to do what we can to protect our election by ensuring that only United States citizens vote in our election.

We know that many of our municipalities and some of our States have opened up elections, both on State and, many times, on municipal levels, to allowing non-United States citizens to vote in those elections. That is why I support the effort of Speaker Johnson to attach the SAVE Act to a continuing resolution, to make sure that those individuals show proof of citizenship when they register.

Mr. Chair, I support the basis of this amendment. I support election integrity. I support us doing all that we can to ensure that those who are voting actually should be allowed to vote. However, I support the basis of this amendment, which stands for the principle that our foreign adversaries, particularly those such as, in this case, China, be prevented from interfering in our elections.

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

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Mr. GUEST. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

The motion was agreed to.

Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Nunn of Iowa) having assumed the chair, Mr. LaTurner, Acting Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1516) to establish Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.

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