PHILADELPHIA – May 22, 2024 – Alabama's government enacted a law on May 6 that protects students from malign foreign influences on college campuses. Sponsored by Rep. Matt Woods (R-13), House Bill 330 provides state government oversight of foreign contributions originating from a list of hostile countries, including Iran and Qatar.
As part of a nationwide campaign to introduce effective foreign influence bills, the Middle East Forum's advocacy wing (MEF Action) worked with the Alabama Legislature to craft legislation that brings greater oversight and transparency to colleges and universities that accept foreign gifts.
H.B. 330 was enacted amid a surge in antisemitic and anti-American activities on college campuses. Legislators from Birmingham to the Beltway worry that foreign adversaries looking to shape opinion at elite academic institutions are fueling campus unrest.
Rep. Woods initially introduced the foreign influence bill to monitor donations exceeding $250,000 that originate from four "countries of concern": the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Following outreach from MEF Action, H.B. 330 was amended to become the first bill of its kind to include the State of Qatar – a U.S. Major Non-North Atlantic Treaty Ally – among a list of foreign adversaries.
"Thankfully, the Middle East Forum reached out during the legislative process to offer support and research for H.B. 330," Rep. Woods stated. "Upon learning that Qatar is the largest source of foreign funding for U.S. colleges and universities, I made sure an amendment was added to include it."
Since 9/11, Qatar has granted at least $4.7 billion to American post-secondary institutions. Last year, a Network Contagion Research Institute study found that schools accepting Qatari cash experienced a 250 percent increase in antisemitic incidents, a proliferation of illiberal and anti-democratic teachings, and deteriorating academic freedoms.
American academic institutions failed to report a majority of Qatar's grants, violating federal laws established to bring transparency and accountability to universities accepting foreign contributions. For this reason, MEF is working with U.S. Congress to pass the DETERRENT Act, a bill that would lower the reporting threshold for gifts from foreign adversaries like Qatar to $0, while mandating stiff penalties for nondisclosure.
While Congress looks to step up enforcement, state and local governments that spend significantly more on higher education than their federal counterparts have a proportionately greater stake in policing foreign influence. Alabama's new law allows state authorities to better monitor the influx of foreign monies into the state university system.
"MEF will continue urging states and the federal government to protect students from malign foreign influences on college campuses, particularly from Middle Eastern adversaries that seek to radicalize American youth to advance their geopolitical interests," said Benjamin Baird, the director of MEF Action.
The Middle East Forum, a non-profit organization, promotes American interests in the Middle East and protects Western civilization from Islamism. It does so through a combination of original ideas, focused activism, and funding allies. For more information, visit www.meforum.org.
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For more information, contact:
Gregg Roman
roman@meforum.org
+1 (215) 546 5406
