Cong. Hern introduces bill to force transparency from universities who accept foreign funding

Hern introduces the America: FIRST Act, forcing transparency from universities who accept foreign funding

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced the America: Foreign Influence Resistance Starts with Transparency (America: FIRST) Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation seeks to force transparency from universities who receive foreign funding, in particular from the professors and programs who promote the interests of those foreign nations.

“It’s high time universities and professors get transparent about foreign funding,” Rep. Hern said. “The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations described universities as a ‘black hole’ for foreign gifts. In fact, a Department of Education investigation uncovered nearly $6 billion in undisclosed gifts from just eight universities between June 2019 and February 2020 in direct violation of Section 117 of the Higher Education Act.

“Laws exist that require universities to report foreign funding over $250,000 to the Department of Education, but so much can fall under the radar with a requirement that high. Additionally, there are currently no laws that require individual professors and departments to disclose funding directly to the American public. Universities and their professors occupy a position of public trust in this country, and public trust comes with an obligation for public transparency.”

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from MuskogeePolitico.com