S.1010 - Countering Adversarial and Malicious Partnerships at Universities and Schools Act of 2025; CAMPUS Act (119th Congress)
Summary
S.1010, the CAMPUS Act, aims to counter adversarial partnerships with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by restricting funding to universities supporting the PLA and limiting visas for individuals involved in military-civil fusion programs. It also strengthens partnerships with Taiwan to promote Mandarin language instruction and Chinese cultural programming. The bill further restricts funding to K-12 schools with contracts with entities domiciled in the People's Republic of China and lowers the threshold for disclosing foreign gifts to universities.
Expected Effects
The Act will likely reduce collaboration between US academic institutions and Chinese entities involved in military-civil fusion. It may also lead to increased scrutiny of foreign funding in US education and a shift towards closer educational ties with Taiwan. The intended effect is to safeguard US national security and intellectual property.
Potential Benefits
- Enhanced national security by limiting technology transfer to the PLA.
- Reduced risk of intellectual property theft and espionage in academic settings.
- Increased transparency regarding foreign funding of US universities.
- Strengthened educational and cultural ties with Taiwan.
- Protection of K-12 education from undue influence by foreign entities.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for hindering academic research and collaboration in specific fields.
- Possible chilling effect on international student enrollment and academic exchange programs.
- Increased administrative burden for universities to comply with the new regulations.
- Risk of unfairly targeting individuals based on their affiliation with Chinese institutions.
- Potential for reciprocal actions from China, affecting US students and researchers abroad.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's focus on national security and regulating foreign influence aligns with the federal government's constitutional responsibilities. Congress has the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations (Article I, Section 8) and to provide for the common defense. The First Amendment implications regarding academic freedom would need careful consideration during implementation to ensure restrictions are narrowly tailored and do not unduly infringe on free speech or academic inquiry. The visa restrictions are subject to due process considerations under the Fifth Amendment.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).