{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-pushes-back-on-china-empowers-american-students-through-hbcu-africa-partnership-act/", "Scott Pushes Back on China, Empowers American Students Through HBCU-Africa Partnership Act", "2023-10-27", "2023", "2023-10", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", "timscott", "https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), co-chair of Congressional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, joined his Senate colleagues in introducing the HBCU-Africa Partnership Act of 2023 to foster greater partnerships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and U.S. foreign policy institutions and promote exchange opportunities between HBCUs and African partners.\n\n\u201cMalign actors like China continue to expand their influence across Sub-Saharan Africa, jeopardizing America\u2019s national security interests and exploiting African communities,\u201d said Senator Tim Scott. \u201cOur HBCUs are producing top-tier researchers and academics who are working to find solutions to global challenges. Encouraging greater collaboration between HBCUs and African partners will strengthen our relationships and combat authoritarian influence, while helping to fortify the foundations that enable free-market economies to flourish.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nFor the past two decades, the People\u2019s Republic of China has endeavored to expand its influence across Sub-Saharan Africa, leveraging the size of its economy to cement the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s geopolitical interests across the continent. Understanding the value of people-to-people linkages, Beijing has also asserted its influence by expanding academic exchange programs for African students. The number of African students at Chinese institutions grew by 258% between 2011 and 2017, with over 80,000 African students studying in China in 2018. Last year, China opened its first CCP-funded party school in Africa.\n\nDespite China\u2019s growing influence, partnerships with American businesses and educational institutions are still the most sought after in the world. Many of our HCBUs have a long history of conducting research and exchange programs with international partners, including those in Sub-Saharan Africa. By expanding these ties, with an emphasis on economic growth and other development indicators, the HBCU-Africa Partnership Act provides an opportunity to weaken Beijing\u2019s leverage while empowering HBCU students and academics to find solutions to global challenges.\n\nIn his role as co-chair of the HBCU Congressional Caucus and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Senator Scott has:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:43:12Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-pushes-back-on-china-empowers-american-students-through-hbcu-africa-partnership-act/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9131510742008686, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}