The U.S. House has approved legislation intended to reduce the influence of China on American college campuses.

Congressman Bill Huizenga tells us the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act prevents the Department of Homeland Security from sending taxpayer dollars to American universities that host a Confucius Institute or maintain a relationship with Chinese entities of concern.

What is a Confucius Institute?

“Confucius Institutes are Chinese government-funded study programs at U.S. universities and colleges,” Huizenga said. “They’re throughout the country. They’ve been quite prolific, and ostensibly, they are supposed to be there so that America can just understand more about China. Unfortunately, what we know is that they have become espionage centers.”

Huizenga says that could be industrial espionage or otherwise.

The legislation approved by the House last week includes an amendment from Huizenga that would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to report to Congress any institution of higher education that has a relationship with a Confucius Institute. He says the federal government should not give money to an educational institution that allows the Chinese government to influence learning on campus.

The legislation passed the House on a vote of 249 to 161.