HR 881referred119th Congress

DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act

Introduced Jan 31, 2025House billPolicy area: EducationLast action May 8, 2025Sponsor: August Pfluger(R-TX)

educationEducation

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs CommitteeHomeland Security CommitteeCounterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee

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Official summaryUpdated May 8, 2025

What the bill does

DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act This bill restricts funding to an institution of higher education (IHE) that has a relationship with a Confucius Institute, Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern. The bill defines (1) Confucius Institute as a cultural institute funded by the Chinese government; (2) Thousand Talents Program as any technological or educational program funded or administered by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; and (3) Chinese entity of concern as generally any university or college in China that is involved in China's military, police, or intelligence activities. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must ensure that an IHE that has awarded a contract to, entered into an agreement with, or received an in-kind donation or gift from a Confucius Institute, Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern is ineligible to receive any funds from DHS, unless the IHE terminates the relationship. The IHE may regain eligibility for these funds upon termination of the relationship.

Latest official action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Lobbying Filings

$182.3M

Total Lobbying Spend

Suspicious Trades

Members Involved

Timeline

Jan 24, 2025trade

Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. bought K

Jan 31, 2025bill

Bill introduced

Apr 8, 2025trade

Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr. bought K

Apr 21, 2025lobbying

Lobbying filed by FDD ACTION

Apr 29, 2025trade

Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. bought K

May 7, 2025vote

Robert B. Aderholt voted yea

Official Congressional Actions

May 8, 2025IntroReferral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

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May 7, 2025Floor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

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May 7, 2025Floor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 881.

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May 7, 2025Floor

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 377. (consideration: CR H1891-1894)

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Lobbying Activity

Registrant	Client	Amount	Filed	Period	Issues
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION	AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION	$64.0M	Jul 18, 2025	2025Q2	CIV
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY	JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY	$38.0M	Jul 21, 2025	2025Q2	EDUMMMTAX
STANFORD UNIVERSITY	STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Suspicious Trading Activity

Congress members who traded stocks in companies connected to lobbying on this bill, within 90 days of its introduction date.

Member	Party	Ticker	Company	Trade	Date	Amount	Timing	Lobbying Client	Conflict
Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr.	D	K	K	Buy	Jan 24, 2025	$1,001 - $15,000	7d before	JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY	32%
Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr.	R

Conflict Summary

3 trades by 2 members of Congress in companies connected to lobbying on HR 881. The average conflict score is 35%.

Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (2 trades)Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr. (1 trade)

Votes on This Bill

Member	Party	Position	Date
Robert B. Aderholt	R	yea	May 7, 2025
Jake Auchincloss	D	nay	May 7, 2025
Mark E. Amodei	R	yea	May 7, 2025
Alma S. Adams	D	nay	May 7, 2025

Methodology: Bill-Lobbying-Trade Connection

CapitolExposed identifies the "bill-lobbying-trade pipeline" by: (1) finding lobbying filings (LD-2) that specifically mention this bill, (2) matching lobbying clients to publicly traded companies, and (3) finding stock trades by members of Congress in those companies within 90 days of the bill's introduction date. Trades made before the bill was introduced are highlighted in red, as they may indicate advance knowledge. This analysis surfaces correlations worthy of scrutiny; it does not prove wrongdoing.