WASHINGTON – Today, the Education and Workforce Committee and the Select Committee on China released a
new investigation titled
Compromised Independence: CCP Influence at Harvard University. The investigation reveals more details on Harvard University's relationship with Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-linked entities tied to China's military and human rights abuses.
“Harvard created an entity in a blatant attempt to get around federal foreign funding disclosure laws. That’s unacceptable, especially given Harvard’s history of failing to comply with these requirements. The American people deserve to know where foreign money is flowing on our college campuses. This investigation is the latest in a long list of reasons Congress should pass the DETERRENT Act and make sure universities follow the law," said Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI).
"The American people expect our nation's leading universities to protect American research and innovation, and never advance the interests of our nation's adversaries. Right now, Harvard is failing to deliver on that expectation," said Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI). "From allowing violence against anti-China protestors to collaborating with entities linked to the PLA, Harvard has made serious mistakes and must act now to prevent more. It should use this investigation as a catalyst for significant reforms that end CCP influence on campus and prioritize secure American research."
The report details numerous instances where Harvard systematically prioritized lucrative financial ties over American national security and ignored its institutional responsibilities.
The committees reviewed thousands of pages of documents from Harvard, reviewed Chinese government documents, conducted transcribed interviews with Harvard personnel, and heard testimony from a variety of witnesses over the course of the investigation.
Key examples of Harvard's ties to the CCP include:
- Harvard set up Harvard Global, a non-profit apparently designed to circumvent federal disclosure laws on foreign donations in higher education. Harvard Global's own website said it would serve as a conduit for transactions where the university was “unable to accept the sponsor’s terms due to legal or financial reasons." After the Committee sent Harvard a report draft ahead of release, Harvard removed this language from Harvard Global’s website.
- Harvard's Chan School of Public Health ran a health executive education seminar that was potentially attended by a Chinese paramilitary group sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department.
- A senior Harvard compliance official during a transcribed interview for this investigation initially hedged that China is conducting a genocide against the Uyghurs. After meeting with his attorneys, the official was only willing to say that they did “not dispute the assertion that the Chinese Government is engaged in genocide against the Uyghurs.”
- During a different interview, one of the university's lead compliance officials refused to categorically rule out research collaborations with the Chinese military.
The report concludes with policy recommendations for Congress, the executive branch, and the university:
- Congress should pass the DETERRENT Act to require enhanced transparency from universities and researchers of foreign gifts and contracts.
- Congress should pass the Securing Innovation and Research from Adversaries (SIRA) Act.
- Harvard must centralize and restructure its research security functions and efforts.
- Harvard should overhaul its due diligence and vetting processes.
- Harvard must professionalize its research security leadership and staff.
- Harvard must eliminate mechanisms that circumvent transparency requirements.
Read the full report here.
