House to consider three GOP bills targeting foreign influence in schools, including TRACE Act
House Republicans are bringing three bills to the floor aimed at combating alleged CCP/foreign influence in U.S. schools: H.R. 1069 (PROTECT Our Kids Act) would bar federal funding to K‑12 schools that receive direct or indirect financial support from the Chinese government, including through Confucius Institutes; H.R. 1049 (TRACE Act) would condition federal education funds on local education agencies notifying parents of their right to request and receive information about foreign influence in curricula; and H.R. 1105 (CLASS Act) is included in the package with limited public detail. Sponsors Rep. Kevin Hern, Rep. Aaron Bean and Rep. David Joyce, along with Select Committee on the CCP Chair John Moolenaar, have publicly framed the measures as a commonsense effort to expose foreign‑backed influence and give parents greater access to school materials.
📌 Key Facts
- House Republicans will bring three bills to the House floor aimed at combating CCP/foreign influence in U.S. education: H.R. 1069 (PROTECT Our Kids Act), H.R. 1049 (TRACE Act), and H.R. 1105 (CLASS Act).
- H.R. 1069 (PROTECT Our Kids Act), sponsored by Rep. Kevin Hern, would bar federal funding to any K‑12 school that receives direct or indirect financial support from the Chinese government, including support provided via Confucius Institutes.
- H.R. 1049 (TRACE Act), sponsored by Rep. Aaron Bean, would require local educational agencies to notify parents of their right to request and receive information about foreign influence as a condition of receiving federal education funds.
- H.R. 1105 (CLASS Act), sponsored by Rep. David Joyce, is included in the GOP floor package; the reporting names the bill but provides limited detail beyond its title.
- GOP leaders and bill sponsors — including Select Committee on the CCP Chair John Moolenaar and Representatives Hern and Bean — provided on‑the‑record quotes framing the legislation and its intent.
📊 Relevant Data
The number of Confucius Institutes at U.S. universities and colleges has declined from about 100 in 2019 to fewer than five as of 2023.
China: With Nearly All U.S. Confucius Institutes Closed, Some Schools Entered New Agreements with Chinese Entities — U.S. Government Accountability Office
There are 164 Confucius Classrooms still operating in the United States as of 2024, primarily in K-12 schools.
How Mao is Outsmarting Madison in American K-12 Classrooms — RealClearEducation
In November 2025, three Chinese national scholars from the University of Michigan were charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials.
Three Chinese National Scholars from University of Michigan Laboratory Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Biological Materials — U.S. Department of Justice
Approximately 80 percent of U.S. economic espionage prosecutions involve activity intended to benefit China, while Chinese students make up about 22 percent of the 1.2 million international students in the U.S. (266,000 Chinese students).
Foreign Threats to U.S. Academic and Research Institutions — 3GIMBALS
Confucius Institutes have been documented as exerting malign influence on U.S. campuses and disseminating Chinese Communist Party propaganda.
After Confucius Institutes — National Association of Scholars
📰 Sources (2)
- House GOP will bring three bills to the floor targeting CCP/foreign influence in U.S. education: H.R. 1069 (PROTECT Our Kids Act), H.R. 1049 (TRACE Act), and H.R. 1105 (CLASS Act).
- H.R. 1069 (Rep. Kevin Hern) would bar federal funding to any K‑12 school receiving direct or indirect financial support from the Chinese government, including via Confucius Institutes.
- H.R. 1049 (Rep. Aaron Bean) would require local educational agencies to notify parents of their right to request and receive information about foreign influence as a condition of receiving federal education funds.
- H.R. 1105 (Rep. David Joyce), the CLASS Act, is included in the floor package (article names the bill but provides limited detail beyond title).
- Select Committee on the CCP Chair John Moolenaar and sponsors Hern and Bean provided on‑the‑record quotes framing the legislation and intent.