Michael Baumgartner: “It is an honor to be a Member of this august body, and as the son of a university professor who cares deeply about…”

“It is an honor to be a Member of this august body, and as the son of a university professor who cares deeply about higher education and a former State Department officer who cares deeply about American national security, I am excited and proud to sponsor this bill. Indeed, there are many wonderful things that happen on American university campuses, but there are also some nefarious and concerning issues on American campuses that deal with foreign adversaries. Indeed, Mr. Chairman, the numbers do not lie. Foreign adversaries have poured billions into American universities, and much of it remains hidden from public view. In just two universities alone, congressional investigators have uncovered nearly $40 million in unreported research contracts tied to the Chinese Communist Party. Nearly 30 percent of disclosed foreign funding lack even basic details like contract dates or intended purpose. Current regulations permit anonymous giving. These are not clerical errors. This is a systemic failure, one that has left our institutions wide open to foreign influence with real consequences for American society. Let's be clear. Every dollar from an adversarial nation comes with strings attached, expectations about what gets taught, which research gets funded, and who gets hired or silenced. We are already seeing the consequences.…”