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The House passed H.R. 881, a bill that prevents colleges and universities from receiving Department of Homeland Security funding if they maintain ties with certain Chinese organizations, including Confucius Institutes.
H.R. 881, known as the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, aims to protect U.S. research and intellectual property. It prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from providing funds to any American university that has a relationship with Confucius Institutes, the Thousand Talents Program, or other Chinese entities involved in military or intelligence activities. The bill allows for temporary waivers if the DHS determines a partnership is in the national interest and has proper security protections in place. This was a "vote on passage," which is the final step in the House of Representatives for a bill. If a majority of members vote "yes," the bill is approved by the House and moves to the Senate. This specific vote ensures the House's official support for the policy, moving it one step closer to becoming law. The bill passed with a bipartisan majority of 266-153. While Republicans supported the measure unanimously, they were joined by 27 Democrats, even though the majority of the Democratic caucus voted against it. The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
The bill has been sent to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. The bill reflects growing national security concerns regarding foreign influence in U.S. academia and the potential for sensitive research to be shared with adversarial governments.
Who’s affected. U.S. Colleges and Universities: Must choose between maintaining specific international partnerships and receiving DHS funding. · Confucius Institutes: Likely to face widespread closures at U.S. universities seeking to comply with the bill. · Academic Researchers: May face restrictions on collaborative projects with designated Chinese entities.
Democrats. The majority of Democrats (71) voted against the bill, though a significant group of 27 members joined Republicans to support it.
Republicans. Republicans were completely unified, with all 103 voting members supporting the bill.
On Passage
May 7, 2025
The House passed H.R.
881, a bill that prevents colleges and universities from receiving Department of Homeland Security funding if they maintain ties with certain Chinese organizations, including Confucius Institutes.
This was the final vote in the House of Representatives to approve the bill. By passing this vote, the House has completed its work on the measure and sent it to the Senate for their approval.
The bill has been sent to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
The bill reflects growing national security concerns regarding foreign influence in U.S. academia and the potential for sensitive research to be shared with adversarial governments.
The bill passed through a bipartisan majority; while Republicans were united in favor, the Democratic caucus was split, with most opposing the measure.
The majority of Democrats (71) voted against the bill, though a significant group of 27 members joined Republicans to support it.
Republicans were completely unified, with all 103 voting members supporting the bill.
The single independent member who voted supported the bill.