DETERRENT Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

Senate BillS 1296Education

DETERRENT Act

INTRO APR 3· LAST ACTION APR 3

READING

39MIN

COSPONSORS

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LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 / 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed Senate

Passed House

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

Voters should care about this bill because it addresses concerns about foreign influence in American higher education, particularly from countries that may not share U.S. interests. Currently, a substantial amount of foreign funding to universities goes unreported, leading to a lack of transparency regarding potential impacts on research, curriculum, and academic freedom.

If this bill becomes law, there will be significantly more public information about who is funding U.S. universities from abroad and for what purposes, potentially exposing hidden agendas or dependencies. This increased transparency could help safeguard academic integrity and national security by making it harder for foreign adversaries to exert influence without public knowledge. If it doesn't pass, the less stringent existing rules would continue, leaving a larger portion of foreign financial ties undisclosed.

KEY PROVISIONS

5AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Lowers the reporting threshold for foreign gifts and contracts from $250,000 to $50,000 for most foreign sources.

This significantly expands the number of foreign financial interactions universities must report, increasing transparency.

PROVISION 02

Requires institutions to report any gift, regardless of value, from a 'foreign country of concern' or 'foreign entity of concern', and to obtain a waiver for any contract with such sources.

This provision targets specific foreign actors deemed problematic, aiming to prevent undisclosed influence or national security risks.

PROVISION 03

Mandates detailed disclosure reports, including the foreign source's name, country, purpose of the gift or contract, its value, relevant dates, and, for certain contracts, an unedited copy.

These comprehensive details provide greater insight into foreign financial relationships and allow for more thorough government oversight.

PROVISION 04

Stipulates that gifts or contracts with entities affiliated with an institution (like foundations or research centers) are considered gifts or contracts with the institution itself.

This closes a potential loophole that institutions might use to bypass disclosure requirements through related organizations.

PROVISION 05

Requires institutions to keep unredacted (unedited) copies of contracts with foreign sources for at least five years and produce them upon request during an investigation.

This ensures that government investigators can fully examine the terms of foreign agreements, addressing past issues with heavily redacted documents.

SPONSORSHIP

1 + 24

COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 8%

DEM 1 REP 23 IND 0

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

APR 3

Introduced in Senate

INTROREFERRAL

APR 3

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

INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeSenate Bill

NumberS 1296

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedApr 3, 2025

Last actionApr 3, 2025

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 3, 2025

Senate BillS 1296Education

DETERRENT Act

INTRODUCED APR 3, 2025· LAST ACTION APR 3, 2025

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

39 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed Senate

Passed House

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Lowers the reporting threshold for foreign gifts and contracts from $250,000 to $50,000 for most foreign sources.

This significantly expands the number of foreign financial interactions universities must report, increasing transparency.

high

Requires institutions to report any gift, regardless of value, from a 'foreign country of concern' or 'foreign entity of concern', and to obtain a waiver for any contract with such sources.

This provision targets specific foreign actors deemed problematic, aiming to prevent undisclosed influence or national security risks.

med

Mandates detailed disclosure reports, including the foreign source's name, country, purpose of the gift or contract, its value, relevant dates, and, for certain contracts, an unedited copy.

These comprehensive details provide greater insight into foreign financial relationships and allow for more thorough government oversight.

med

Stipulates that gifts or contracts with entities affiliated with an institution (like foundations or research centers) are considered gifts or contracts with the institution itself.

This closes a potential loophole that institutions might use to bypass disclosure requirements through related organizations.

high

Requires institutions to keep unredacted (unedited) copies of contracts with foreign sources for at least five years and produce them upon request during an investigation.

This ensures that government investigators can fully examine the terms of foreign agreements, addressing past issues with heavily redacted documents.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

July 31 of the calendar year immediately following any calendar year in which the gift or contract occurred.

Institutions must file a disclosure report for most foreign gifts and contracts.

July 31 of each year.

Institutions substantially controlled by a foreign source must file a disclosure report.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Higher Education Act of 1965: The main federal law that sets rules for how the government supports colleges and universities, including student aid programs.
Foreign source: Any individual, organization, or government that is outside of the United States.
Foreign country of concern / Foreign entity of concern: A foreign government or organization that the U.S. government views as problematic or a national security risk. (The bill refers to these terms but does not define which specific countries or entities are included in this excerpt.)
Disclosure report: A formal document that colleges and universities must submit to the government, detailing financial contributions and contracts received from foreign sources.
Restricted or conditional gift or contract: A gift or contract from a foreign source that comes with specific rules, conditions, or instructions about how the money or resources must be used.
Affiliated entity: An organization that is closely connected to or controlled by a university, such as a university foundation, research institute, or alumni association.
Waiver

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

APR 3, 25

Introduced in Senate

INTROREFERRAL

APR 3, 25

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

INTROREFERRAL

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Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions CommitteeReferred

Apr 3, 2025

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DETERRENT Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

DETERRENT Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

SPONSORS

READER REACTIONS

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Discussion

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