Congress·Passed House·H.R. 1048

House Passes DETERRANT Act Tightening Rules on Foreign Gifts to U.S. Colleges

DETERRENT Act

Also known as: Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act

12 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: DETERRENT Act

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

✓ House

241–169

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This policy lowers the amount of money colleges can receive from foreign sources before they have to tell the government. Currently, schools only report gifts over $250,000, but this change would require them to report any gift or contract worth $50,000 or more.
From policy text
“the value of which is $50,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from, or contracts with, that foreign source within the calendar year;”
View in full text
For 'countries of concern,' such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, schools would have to report every single dollar they receive. In most cases, colleges would be banned from signing contracts with these countries unless they receive a special waiver from the Department of Education.
From policy text
“receives a gift from a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern, without regard to the value of such gift;”
View in full text
At large research universities, individual teachers and staff members would also have to report gifts they receive from foreign sources if the value is over $5,000. This is meant to prevent foreign governments from secretly influencing the research or teaching happening at American schools.
From policy text
“any contract with a foreign source (other than a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern) entered into or in effect during the previous calendar year, the value of which is $5,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other contracts with that foreign source within the calendar year,”
View in full text
The government would create a public, searchable website where anyone can look up which foreign countries are giving money to specific colleges. This database would include the names of the foreign sources and what the money is being used for, such as specific research projects or new campus departments.
From policy text
“establish and maintain a searchable database on a website of the Department, under which all reports submitted under this section (including, to the extent practicable, any report submitted under this section before the date of enactment of the DETERRENT Act)-- ``(i) are made publicly available (in electronic and downloadable format), including any information provided in such reports”
View in full text
Schools that hide this information or refuse to follow the rules could face massive fines. If a school is caught breaking the rules three times, they could lose their ability to accept federal student loans and grants, which would be a major financial blow to the institution.
From policy text
“against which judgment has been granted in 3 separate civil actions described in section 117D(a)(2) that have each resulted in the institution being compelled to comply with one or more requirements of section 117, 117A, 117B, 117C, or 117D(c);”
View in full text

EducationNational Security Foreign Policy

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

5 milestones35 actions

Mar 31, 2025Senate

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Mar 27, 2025House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Mar 27, 2025House

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).

Mar 27, 2025

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).

Mar 27, 2025House

The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 30 days of enactment

Universities with existing contracts with countries of concern must submit waiver requests to the Department of Education

Schools that currently have contracts with entities in countries like China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea have just 30 days to either get government approval or start winding down those contracts. This could disrupt ongoing research partnerships and exchange programs.

By May 31 of the calendar year after enactment

Public searchable database of foreign gifts and contracts goes live

Anyone will be able to go online and look up which foreign countries and entities are sending money to specific colleges, how much they gave, and what the money is used for. This is a major new transparency tool.

July 31 of the first full calendar year after enactment

First annual disclosure reports due from institutions and individual faculty/staff

Universities and their research faculty must submit detailed reports about all foreign gifts and contracts from the previous year by July 31. This is when the full scope of foreign financial ties to U.S. higher education will first become visible under the new, stricter rules.

Vote Results

3 votes

HouseFailedAmendmentMar 27, 2025

On Agreeing to the Amendment

Rules Committee

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 93, the amendment printed in part A of House Report 119-2 is considered as adopted.

321

Democrat

0 – 201 · 15

Republican

92 – 120 · 8

View full roll call

HouseFailedAmendmentMar 27, 2025

On Agreeing to the Amendment

An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part B of House Report 119-2 to delay the enactment of this bill until the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General each certify that the bill will lead to a reduction in overdose deaths.

410

Democrat

3 – 199 · 14

Republican

0 – 211 · 9

View full roll call

HousePassedPassageMar 27, 2025

On Passage

241

169

Democrat

31 – 168 · 14

Republican

210 – 1 · 6

View full roll call

Related News

4 articles

Politico Pro·12 months ago

House passes college foreign gifts reporting bill

House lawmakers approved a bill to crack down on foreign gifts and contracts accepted by college campuses with a 241-169 bipartisan vote. The DETERRENT Act would tighten reporting requirements under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, lowering the threshold from $250,000 to $50,000.

The Times of Israel·12 months ago

US House advances bill requiring universities to disclose more foreign funding

The DETERRENT Act passed the House with support from Jewish organizations concerned that money from countries such as Qatar and Iran are funding anti-Israel messaging on campuses. The bill lowers the reporting threshold for gifts from most foreign countries from $250,000 to $50,000.

ChinaFile·about 2 years ago

New Security Measures Curtailing the Study of China Alarm Educators

Educators warn that laws like the DETERRENT Act, which bars universities from entering contracts with 'countries of concern' and lowers reporting thresholds to $0 for those nations, are contributing to a 'securitization' of China studies that could chill international academic collaboration.

CL~

Related Bills

6 bills

H.R. 938Related bill

No Contracts with Foreign Adversaries Act

Feb 4 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R. 1023Related bill

RIFA Act

Feb 5 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.R. 1018Related bill

INSTRUCT Act of 2025

Feb 5 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

H.Res. 242Procedurally related

Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 24) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Energy relating to "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Walk-In Coolers and Walk-In Freezers"; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 75) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy relating to "Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers"; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1048) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen disclosure requirements relating to foreign gifts and contracts, to prohibit contracts between institutions of higher education and certain foreign entities and countries of concern, and for other purposes.

Mar 25 — Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

S. 1296Related bill

DETERRENT Act

Apr 3 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R. 1999Related bill

Disclose GIFT Act

Mar 10 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.