Us Congress Senate Bill SB2726

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 9/5/23
• Refer: 9/5/23

Caption

CAMPUS Act Countering Adversarial and Malicious Partnerships at Universities and Schools Act of 2023

Impact

The bill establishes strict guidelines for federal funding, particularly for the Department of Defense and K-12 education. It explicitly prevents funding from being allocated to any elementary or secondary school that collaborates with listed entities from China. The provisions also extend to prohibiting contracts with institutions identified as involved in China's Military-Civil Fusion strategy, aiming to lessen potential vulnerabilities in U.S. academic partnerships with foreign institutions.

Summary

SB2726, titled the 'Countering Adversarial and Malicious Partnerships at Universities and Schools Act of 2023' (CAMPUS Act), seeks to prohibit the use of federal funds for universities and educational institutions that maintain partnerships or contracts with entities supporting the People's Liberation Army of China. This legislation reflects rising concerns over national security and foreign influence on U.S. educational institutions and aims to safeguard American military research and educational integrity.

Contention

An essential aspect of the debate surrounding SB2726 centers on the balance between national security interests and the implications for academic freedom and international collaboration. Critics argue that these restrictions may hinder American universities' ability to engage in beneficial partnerships and may negatively impact educational diversity and innovation. Supporters of the bill maintain that protecting national security must take precedence over academic partnerships, particularly those linked to potential adversarial entities.