WASHINGTON, D.C. (Michigan News Source) – On Thursday, March 27th, the U.S. House passed the DETERRENT Act (Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act) by a vote of 241-169. The bill lowers the reporting threshold for foreign gifts to universities from $250,000 to $50,000 and requires sweeping disclosures from institutions receiving any funds from countries of concern like China, Iran, North Korea or Russia.

While most Republicans and a handful of Democrats backed the bill, Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) had other plans. She proposed two amendments to the bill aimed at targeting Israel along with the other “countries of concern” and accused Congress of voting to protect the Israeli “apartheid regime.” Her amendments were crushed by large bipartisan majorities.

Michigan’s roll call.

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Voting “yea” on the legislation were six Republican U.S. Representatives: Tim Walberg, Tom Barrett, Lisa McClain, John Moolenaar, Bill Huizenga, and John James. There was also a surprise “yea” from Democratic Rep. Hillary Scholten who represents Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon Counties. Republican Congressman Jack Bergman was absent and did not vote.

The “nay” votes included Democrats Debbie Dingell, Haley Stevens, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib and Kristen McDonald Rivet.

Rep. Walberg and Jewish groups say foreign funds fuel campus hate and censorship.

According to the media company NewsBreak, the legislation received backing from Jewish groups like AIPAC and the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), who are concerned that countries like Qatar and Iran are bankrolling anti-Israel messaging on college campuses.

In their press release, RJC wrote, “It’s unacceptable that Qatar’s regime – the same one that offers shelter and protection to top Hamas terrorists – has been able to pour billions into places like Yale, Georgetown, and Cornell – much of it undisclosed.”

Walberg, a co-sponsor of the bill and chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, released a statement about the legislation last week citing concerns about “antisemitic propaganda” and Chinese government influence. He said in the statement, “The lack of transparency around foreign relationships with our nation’s universities should concern every American as we see stolen research, antisemitic propaganda, and academic censorship.”

Academia bristles.

University lobbyists argued the bill would stifle global academic collaboration – which to some is code for “untraceable foreign cash.”

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A large coalition of higher education organizations, led by the American Council on Education, sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposing H.R. 5933, the DETERRENT Act. They argue that while concerns about foreign influence in higher education are valid and bipartisan, this bill is redundant, overreaching, unworkable, invasive, expensive and punitive to students.