More than 160 House Democrats voted on Thursday against two Republican-backed bills aimed at limiting foreign influence in U.S. elementary and secondary schools.
Both measures ultimately passed with bipartisan support, even as Democratic leadership opposed them.
“We just want to educate our children, focus on reading, writing and arithmetic, developing a holistic child, giving the ability to them to think critically,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital when asked about the pushback.
“We’re not going to be lectured by a group of Republicans who are dismantling the Department of Education in real-time. Literally 90% of the Department of Education as it existed last year is now gone.”
He accused Republicans of “attacking public education just like they’re attacking public health and attacking public safety.”
One of the bills, led by House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., would strip federal funds from elementary and secondary schools that run programs, cultural exchanges or other class-related activities funded by the Chinese government.
It would also cut federal funding to schools that receive any direct or indirect support from entities or individuals tied to the Chinese government.
That bill passed 247–166, with 33 Democrats voting in favor and 166 opposed.
The second measure, sponsored by Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., would require every public elementary and secondary school to notify parents that they have the right to request information about any “foreign influence” in their child’s school.
Those notifications would be issued through the school’s local education agency (LEA), such as a school board or similar body that has administrative control over that and other schools in the area.
The second bill passed 247–164, again with 33 Democrats supporting it and 164 voting no.
Republicans defended the proposals as straightforward efforts to keep malign foreign influence out of U.S. classrooms.
Democrats, however, raised concerns during floor debate about how the measures would be implemented in practice.
“The bill gives no guidance on what acting directly or indirectly on behalf of means, or how you are supposed to know and how a parent’s contribution to a school program should be evaluated,” Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., said. “And really, are you supposed to scrutinize all parents’ contributions or just those from parents of Chinese American students?”
