Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a senior member of the both the House Armed Services Committee and House Committee on Education and Labor, introduced the Halting Academic Liaisons To (HALT) our Adversaries Act to ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars are not contributing to the capabilities or modernization of the militaries of U.S. foreign adversaries.
This legislation, through a list created by the Department of Defense, will identify Chinese and Russian universities providing support to the People’s Liberation Army or Russian Armed Forces and cut off federal funding to U.S. colleges and universities that have contracts or agreements with those identified foreign universities.
“I am working to protect U.S. taxpayer dollars from benefitting adversaries like Russia or China,” Stefanik said. “Make no mistake, these are our foreign adversaries, and my legislation will halt taxpayer funds going to colleges and universities who in any way contribute to the military capabilities of China and Russia. The threat posed by China and Russia continues to grow as they enhance their militaries and engage in malign activities around the world. I will continue to ensure the United States does not assist in those efforts and that we continue to maintain our military superiority over our adversaries.”
“It is no secret that our foreign adversaries weaponize academia to support their malign campaigns. The U.S. needs to safeguard federal investments in research and develop tools to help America’s higher education system avoid enabling the genocidal Chinese Communist Party and Putin’s war machine. This bill marks an important advance in that effort," Maseh Zarif, Director of Congressional Relations for FDD Action, said.
Representatives Michael Turner (R-OH), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), August Pfluger (R-TX), Victoria Spartz (R-IN) cosponsored this legislation.
