[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 80 (Monday, April 28, 2025)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 17541-17542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07379]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 80 / Monday, April 28, 2025 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 17541]]
Executive Order 14282 of April 23, 2025
Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at
American Universities
By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Section 117 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1011f, requires
institutions of higher education to report significant
sources of foreign funding. But, because section 117
has not been robustly enforced, the true amounts,
sources, and purposes of foreign money flowing to
American campuses are unknown. From 2010 to 2016,
according to one study, universities failed to disclose
more than half of reportable foreign gifts. Even when
foreign funding is reported, its true sources are often
hidden. Protecting American educational, cultural, and
national security interests requires transparency
regarding foreign funds flowing to American higher
education and research institutions. During my first
term, the Department of Education opened investigations
on 19 campuses from 2019-2021, which led universities
to report $6.5 billion in previously undisclosed
foreign funds. Yet the prior administration undid this
work, moving the Department of Education's specialized
investigatory work on foreign funds to a unit ill-
equipped to perform it, undermining investigations, and
hindering public access to information on foreign gifts
and contracts. It is the policy of my Administration to
end the secrecy surrounding foreign funds in American
educational institutions, protect the marketplace of
ideas from propaganda sponsored by foreign governments,
and safeguard America's students and research from
foreign exploitation.
Sec. 2. Robust Enforcement to Prevent Harm to American
Interests. The Secretary of Education (Secretary) shall
take all appropriate actions to enforce the
requirements of section 1011f of title 20, United
States Code, including by working with the Attorney
General and the heads of other executive departments,
agencies, and offices, where appropriate, to require
complete and timely disclosure by higher education
institutions of foreign funding. These actions shall
include the following:
(a) the Secretary shall take appropriate steps to
reverse or rescind any actions by the prior
administration that permit higher education
institutions to maintain improper secrecy regarding
their foreign funding;
(b) the Secretary shall take appropriate steps to
require universities to more specifically disclose
details about foreign funding, including the true
source and purpose of the funds;
(c) the Secretary shall provide the American people
with greater access to information about foreign
funding to higher education institutions; and
(d) the Secretary and the Attorney General shall
hold accountable higher education institutions that
fail to comply with the law concerning disclosure of
foreign funding. In furtherance of this directive, the
Secretary shall work with the heads of other executive
departments, agencies, and offices, where appropriate,
to conduct audits and investigations as appropriate and
where necessary to ensure compliance with the law
concerning disclosure of foreign funding and shall seek
enforcement through appropriate action by the Attorney
General.
Sec. 3. Compliance by Federal Funding Recipients. The
Secretary of Education and the heads of other
appropriate executive departments and agencies
[[Page 17542]]
shall take appropriate action, as consistent with
applicable law, to prospectively ensure that
certification of compliance by higher education
institutions with 20 U.S.C. 1011f and any other
applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements is
material for purposes of 31 U.S.C. 3729 and for receipt
of appropriate Federal grant funds, which shall not be
provided in cases of noncompliance with 20 U.S.C. 1011f
and any other applicable foreign funding disclosure
requirements.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
(d) If any provision of this order, or the
application of any provision to any agency, person or
circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of
this order and the application of its provisions to any
other agencies, persons or circumstances shall not be
affected thereby.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
April 23, 2025.
[FR Doc. 2025-07379
Filed 4-25-25; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P