House Passes Foreign Funding Disclosure Bill, Blocks Tlaib Amendments

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the DETERRENT Act, which mandates stricter disclosure requirements for foreign funding at universities, lowering the reporting threshold from $250,000 to $50,000. The bill, introduced by Rep. Michael Baumgartner, received bipartisan support, passing with a vote of 241-169 while also blocking two amendments proposed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib that aimed to target Israel. Tlaib's amendments sought to classify Israel among nations of concern regarding human rights violations, but were overwhelmingly rejected by a vote of 404-4 and 410-3. The legislation aims to enhance transparency concerning foreign donations from adversary countries such as China and Russia, as well as to prevent potential manipulation of U.S. educational institutions. Proponents of the bill argue it is necessary to protect the integrity of American universities from foreign influence. The outcome reflects a significant stance against attempts to isolate Israel within Congress, as many Democrats supported the bill alongside Republicans.