Colleges and universities would be barred from accepting financial support or gifts from foreign nations that support terrorism under bipartisan legislation introduced by two New York House members, who said taking such funds is “an act of national self-sabotage.”
The ban proposed by Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) and Andrew Garbarino (R-LI) would cover China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and other countries that support terrorism.
A college must first report an offer of funding from a country to the US Secretary of State for approval in order to maintain or receive government funding under the “No Foreign Gifts Act.”
“The No Foreign Gifts Act represents a crucial step toward safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s higher education system from malicious foreign influence, which has become increasingly pronounced in the aftermath of Oct. 7,” Torres said, referring to terror group Hamas’ invasion of Israel last year and the ongoing war in Gaza.
“By prohibiting gifts from countries that have supported foreign terrorist organizations, like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, this legislation would ensure that institutions of higher learning remain free from malign financial manipulation that is corrupting the minds of America’s next generation and causing social disorder.”
Torres said allowing colleges to accept funding from America’s enemies is “an act of national self-sabotage.”
In January, he expressed outrage when a map of the Middle East posted in a Brooklyn classroom omitted Israel and called the Jewish State “Palestine.”
The Israel-less map was provided to PS 261 as part of a program funded by the Qatar Foundation International (QFI), the American wing of the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit owned by the ruling family of the wealthy Arab state.
“Foreign influence has no place in our education system — especially when it’s aimed at spreading antisemitism and anti-American sentiment on our college campuses,” Garbarino said.
“For far too long, radical organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine have been propped up by foreign entities with connections to terrorism,” he continued.
“Allowing these malign actors to continue funneling money into our colleges and universities would be the height of recklessness.
“This legislation seeks to put an end to this dangerous flow of foreign funds, protect our students and preserve the integrity of our academic institutions.”
