Disclose GIFT Act
Congress Proposes New Disclosure Rules for College Faculty Receiving Foreign Gifts and Contracts
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Mr. James, would require professors and staff at large research universities to report any gifts or contracts they receive from foreign sources. Schools would be required to post this information in a public, searchable database on their websites so the public can see these financial ties.
- Staff must report gifts worth more than a small set amount (currently about $480) and any contracts worth $5,000 or more. If the money or contract comes from a 'country of concern'—such as China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea—staff must report it regardless of the dollar amount, even if the contract is for $0.
- Colleges and universities that fail to follow these rules face heavy penalties. A first-time violation carries a fine of at least $250,000, while repeat offenders face fines of $500,000 or more. If a school is caught breaking these rules three times, it could be banned from receiving federal student aid money for at least two years.
- The policy aims to protect American research from foreign interference and spying. Schools would be required to create a formal plan to identify and manage potential risks of foreign agents using gifts or contracts to gather sensitive information from university staff.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Students at large research universities wouldn't directly report anything themselves, but this bill could indirectly affect them in two ways. If their school loses federal student aid eligibility for repeated violations, students could lose access to Pell Grants and federal loans at that institution. On the other hand, greater transparency about foreign funding could help protect the integrity of the research environment students learn in.
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articles
House Committee advances university foreign donations disclosure bill
The House Education and Workforce Committee advanced the DETERRENT Act, which incorporates the Disclose GIFT Act's requirements for faculty to report foreign gifts and contracts. The bill lowers reporting thresholds and mandates a public database to reveal ties to 'countries of concern.'
House passes college foreign funding bill with bipartisan support
House lawmakers approved the DETERRENT Act (H.R. 5933) in a 246-170 vote. The legislation, which includes provisions from Rep. John James' Disclose GIFT Act, tightens reporting requirements for foreign gifts and contracts, lowering the threshold to $50,000 for most countries and $0 for adversaries.
House passes bill to increase transparency of foreign gifts to universities
The House passed the DETERRENT Act, aiming to close loopholes in Section 117 of the Higher Education Act. The bill requires individual faculty and staff at research-heavy institutions to disclose foreign gifts and implements heavy fines for non-compliance, including the loss of federal student aid.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Disclose GIFT Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.