College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005
COLLEGE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2005
House of Representatives
March 29, 2006
Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Burton amendment. This commonsense reform requires colleges and universities receiving Title VI funds to disclose contributions and gifts under a publicly searchable database known as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data system.
I generally believe that institutions of higher learning ought to focus their time and energy on the business of educating young people, not complying with burdensome reporting requirements. However, this particular case demands as much sunlight as humanly possible.
Over the last several decades, American students and faculty members have been bombarded with a steady stream of rhetoric attacking American foreign policy in the Middle East and throughout the world. Many refer to this as the ``Blame America First'' philosophy that permeates throughout college campuses and takes root in small yet influential international studies programs.
And while the so-called ``intellectuals'' hired to staff these programs are well within their rights to engage in important foreign policy debates, it is important to note that much of this debate is bought and paid for by, foreign entities that do not have American interests in mind.
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In fact, a wave of foreign money from oil-rich countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, is directly responsible for funding programs on college campuses that produce vicious rhetoric attacking American foreign policy in the Middle East and the War on Terrorism. These centers purportedly train teachers and professors, supply materials, and often preach a radical anti-democratic and anti-Semitic agenda in our classrooms at every level.
Allowing the American people to access information will help them discern fact from fiction in the field of ``International Studies.'' The Burton amendment accomplishes this goal by giving average Americans the ability to connect the dots. After all, if an oil-rich sheikh funds a Middle East Studies program in the U.S. with millions of dollars, it stands to reason he might have an ulterior motive.
The American people deserve a right to know.
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