PRIA Logo™
Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§19039 Foundation Funding to Institutions Hosting or Supporting Confucius Institutes

Title 42 › CHAPTER 163 — RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, COMPETITION, AND INNOVATION › SUBCHAPTER III — NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE › Part D — NSF Research Security › § 19039

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Stops the Foundation from giving money to a college that has a contract or agreement with a Confucius Institute unless the Director, after talking with the National Academies, grants a waiver. Confucius Institute — a cultural center run by a U.S. college together with a Chinese university and funded by the People’s Republic of China. The Director can waive the ban only if the agreement clearly protects academic freedom, bars any foreign law on campus, gives the college full control over the institute’s management, teaching, research awards, and hiring, and keeps the institute separate from the college’s own Chinese language and culture programs with separate promotions. The rule does not apply if the college already got a waiver from the Department of Defense under section 1062 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283). Money given directly to students as educational aid is also allowed. The funding ban takes effect in the first fiscal year that begins after the date that is two years after August 9, 2022. The rule ends five years after August 9, 2022.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §19039

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Confucius Institute defined
In this section the term “Confucius Institute” means a cultural institute established as a partnership between a United States institution of higher education and a Chinese institution of higher education to promote and teach Chinese language and culture that is funded, directly or indirectly, by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
(b)Restrictions of Confucius Institutes
Except as provided in subsection (d), none of the funds made available to the Foundation under this division or division A, or an amendment made by this division or division A, may be obligated or expended to an institution of higher education that maintains a contract or agreement between the institution and a Confucius Institute, unless the Director, after consultation with the National Academies, determines such a waiver is appropriate in accordance with subsection (c).
(c)Waiver
The Director, after consultation with the National Academies, may issue a waiver for an institution of higher education that maintains a contract or agreement between the institution and a Confucius Institute if such contract or agreement includes clear provisions that—
(1)protect academic freedom at the institution;
(2)prohibit the application of any foreign law on any campus of the institution;
(3)grant full managerial authority of the Confucius Institute to the institution, including full control over what is being taught, the activities carried out, the research awards that are made, and who is employed at the Confucius Institute; and
(4)prohibit co-location with the institution’s Chinese language, history, and cultural programs and require separate promotional materials.
(d)Special rule
(1)In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, this section shall not apply to an institution of higher education if that institution has fulfilled the requirements for a waiver from the Department of Defense as described under section 1062 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283).
(2)Exception
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the prohibition under subsection (b) shall not apply to amounts provided to students as educational assistance.
(e)Effective date
The limitation under subsection (b) shall apply with respect to the first fiscal year that begins after the date that is two years after August 9, 2022, and to any subsequent fiscal year subject to subsection (f).
(f)Sunset
This section shall cease to be effective on the date that is five years after August 9, 2022.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This division, referred to in subsec. (b), is div. B of Pub. L. 117–167, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1399, which enacted this chapter and enacted, amended, and repealed numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of div. B to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 18901 of this title and Tables. Division A, referred to in subsec. (b), is div. A of Pub. L. 117–167, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1372, known as the CHIPS Act of 2022. For complete classification of div. A to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2022 Amendment note set out under section 4651 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and Tables. section 1062 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, referred to in subsec. (d)(1), probably means section 1062 of Pub. L. 116–283, known as the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which is set out as a note under section 2241 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 19039

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110