Safeguarding American Education From Foreign Control Act

Summary

Requires colleges and universities to disclose any gift or contract linked to certain foreign countries regardless of dollar value, while keeping the $250,000 annual threshold for other foreign sources. Directs the Education Department to send all new disclosure reports to the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence within 10 days and to transmit all historical disclosure records and related investigation files to those same agencies within 90 days of enactment.

• Any gift or contract tied to a "covered nation" must be disclosed by institutions of higher education regardless of dollar value.
• The $250,000 annual disclosure threshold remains for foreign sources not tied to a covered nation.
• Disclosure reports must be filed on the existing schedule (January 31 or July 31, whichever is sooner) but are subject to the new threshold rule.
• The Department of Education must transmit any received disclosure report or related record to the FBI Director and the Director of National Intelligence within 10 days.
• Within 90 days of enactment, ED must send all historical disclosure records and files created in ED investigations to the FBI Director and DNI Director.
• The bill defines "covered nation" by referencing the federal definition in 10 U.S.C. § 4872(f)(2).
• No new funding is provided, so institutions and ED must implement new duties with existing resources.
• Could increase administrative burden on colleges and universities and dramatically increase the volume of records shared with intelligence and law enforcement.
• Applies to higher education institutions broadly, not only to those already meeting the old dollar threshold.