United States House of Representatives
05/05/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/05/2025 14:36
Foxx Opening Remarks on H.R. 276 & H.R. 881
As prepared for delivery:
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time.
Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider two separate measures: H.R. 276 and H.R. 881.
Despite the claims - that I am sure we will be inundated with the entirety of today's meeting - that Republicans are wasting time, the truth is that we're moving forward with legislation that defends American interests.
H.R. 276, the Gulf of America Act, renames the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and directs Federal agencies to update their documents and maps accordingly to incorporate the new name.
This legislation codifies President Trump's actions to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
In short, this legislation recognizes the strategic influence America has over this geography, not to mention the existing economic, cultural, and commercial might that we passively exert on the gulf.
Gulfs across the world are recognized by their geographic linkages. This is true of the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Gulf, or even the Gulf of Alaska.
The nomenclature of this gulf goes back to the mid-1600s, before the United States was even a thought - and when Spanish influence over Central America and the Caribbean was at its zenith.
Now, the United States' interest in the Gulf of America outpaces Mexico's.
The entirety of Mexico's economic activity related to the Gulf pales in comparison to even some of our country's economic activity.
This necessary renaming made by the President did not end the world - as some would like us to believe - nor did it cause a single bit of harm to the American people.
I would be curious to know from our Democrat colleagues if they've found a single, concrete data point that this decision was detrimental to the American people.
They can't, because there is not a single data point that exists regarding that.
Having the realities of the Gulf's link to America reflected in government records makes sense.
We shouldn't let certain allergic reactions to decisions made by the Trump Administration stand in the way of good public policy. Instead, we should support this decision and codify it, demonstrating our Article I authority.
H.R. 881, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, establishes funding restrictions - via the Department of Homeland Security - on institutions of higher education that have an established relationship with Confucius Institutes.
For years, the CCP has executed sophisticated and targeted propaganda and espionage campaigns across the globe.
The CCP exploits the open and collaborative nature of American academia to conduct widespread industrial and military espionage inside the United States.
Although there are fewer than five active Confucius Institutes left in existence in the United States, the GAO found that 43 out of 74 schools surveyed still maintain a relationship with an entity that supported their previous Confucius Institute.
This must be addressed immediately.
The federal nexus of H.R. 881 is taxpayer funding.
Taxpayer dollars are privileged and provided through Congress's Article I powers.
Congress can and should safeguard this funding and ensure they are appropriately used, while encouraging universities to end relationships with partners who do not have America's best interest in mind.
Today, we will advance these two bills that put American interests first - that's where they should always be placed. I'll happily extend the invitation for our Democrat colleagues to join us in supporting both.
With that, I look forward to today's discussion, and I now yield to Ms. Scanlon for any comments she wishes to make.
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time.
Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider two separate measures: H.R. 276 and H.R. 881.
Despite the claims - that I am sure we will be inundated with the entirety of today's meeting - that Republicans are wasting time, the truth is that we're moving forward with legislation that defends American interests.
H.R. 276, the Gulf of America Act, renames the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America and directs Federal agencies to update their documents and maps accordingly to incorporate the new name.
This legislation codifies President Trump's actions to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
In short, this legislation recognizes the strategic influence America has over this geography, not to mention the existing economic, cultural, and commercial might that we passively exert on the gulf.
Gulfs across the world are recognized by their geographic linkages. This is true of the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Gulf, or even the Gulf of Alaska.
The nomenclature of this gulf goes back to the mid-1600s, before the United States was even a thought - and when Spanish influence over Central America and the Caribbean was at its zenith.
Now, the United States' interest in the Gulf of America outpaces Mexico's.
The entirety of Mexico's economic activity related to the Gulf pales in comparison to even some of our country's economic activity.
This necessary renaming made by the President did not end the world - as some would like us to believe - nor did it cause a single bit of harm to the American people.
I would be curious to know from our Democrat colleagues if they've found a single, concrete data point that this decision was detrimental to the American people.
They can't, because there is not a single data point that exists regarding that.
Having the realities of the Gulf's link to America reflected in government records makes sense.
We shouldn't let certain allergic reactions to decisions made by the Trump Administration stand in the way of good public policy. Instead, we should support this decision and codify it, demonstrating our Article I authority.
H.R. 881, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, establishes funding restrictions - via the Department of Homeland Security - on institutions of higher education that have an established relationship with Confucius Institutes.
For years, the CCP has executed sophisticated and targeted propaganda and espionage campaigns across the globe.
The CCP exploits the open and collaborative nature of American academia to conduct widespread industrial and military espionage inside the United States.
Although there are fewer than five active Confucius Institutes left in existence in the United States, the GAO found that 43 out of 74 schools surveyed still maintain a relationship with an entity that supported their previous Confucius Institute.
This must be addressed immediately.
The federal nexus of H.R. 881 is taxpayer funding.
Taxpayer dollars are privileged and provided through Congress's Article I powers.
Congress can and should safeguard this funding and ensure they are appropriately used, while encouraging universities to end relationships with partners who do not have America's best interest in mind.
Today, we will advance these two bills that put American interests first - that's where they should always be placed. I'll happily extend the invitation for our Democrat colleagues to join us in supporting both.
With that, I look forward to today's discussion, and I now yield to Ms. Scanlon for any comments she wishes to make.
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