Ranking Member Scott Leads Opposition to the DETERRENT Act
“This is not only nonsensical, but reckless. You can’t argue that the Department of Education is unnecessary and then hand it more work, expecting it to function without the staff, resources, or leadership it needs.”
WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott spoke in opposition to H.R. 1048, Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, which imposes unnecessary burdens on universities by requiring them to report gifts of any value from individuals in “countries of concern.” The bill risks overwhelming an already understaffed Department of Education and discriminating against international faculty.
Watch Ranking Member Scott’s remarks on YouTube.
“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to H.R. 1048, DETERRENT Act.
“Let’s acknowledge, first of all, the elephant in the room. Just this month, the Secretary of Education fired half of the Department’s staff, and last week, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the entire Department. This administration is actively working to eliminate an agency that has long been the cornerstone of ensuring every child in America has access to quality education.
“Today, we are discussing a bill that would add even more responsibility to this very department – the department you are trying to destroy. It’s almost as if you’re trying to dismantle the agency, but at the same time, recognize how critical its role is and are piling on additional duties. This is not only nonsensical, but reckless. You can’t argue that the Department of Education is unnecessary and then hand it more work, expecting it to function without the staff, resources, or leadership it needs.
“This Congress has a responsibility to address the many pressing issues that students face – closing achievement gaps, improving college affordability, and ending gun violence in schools. Instead, we find ourselves considering bills that target vulnerable groups like trans students, and now this bill, which risks isolating America from global partnerships in research and education.
“Instead of requiring institutions to report foreign gifts or contracts large enough to exert any influence, the bill before us would require institutions to report gifts of any value from people who are not U.S. citizens if they are from a list of “countries of concern” – a list that that is difficult to keep track of, as it is subject to change.
“The Department of Education has already lost half of its staff and would have to process an exponentially larger number of reports than it has too already.
“How can we place these new responsibilities on an agency that is being hollowed out, and how can we expect it to manage these complex issues when the institution is being dismantled?
“H.R. 1048 would also impose burdensome and unnecessary penalties on institutions for working with international scholars and organizations. Since faculty really don’t know their colleagues’ citizenship status, it is reasonable to believe that discrimination will follow, and institutions will be disincentivized from hiring talented international faculty.
“Now, Mr. Speaker, present law already requires reporting of any gift large enough to exert any influence over a university. This bill, however, requires reporting of gifts of any value – this could be a cup of coffee or a donut – from people who are from so-called “countries of concern,” and requires the Department of Education to process those reports. The same Department of Education that lost half of its staff. If the problem is millions of dollars in reported gifts, reporting free donuts cannot be the answer.
“Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.”
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