YourVoice.Now Summary
Your MoneyWorkers & JobsCivil LibertiesTransparency & AccountabilityBig research schools would post their staff's foreign gifts and contracts online — fines start at $250,000.
Your Money
A school would have to be taken to court three times, and told to comply each time. Then it would lose federal student aid. Students there could not use federal grants or loans at that school for at least two years.
Workers & Jobs
Researchers and key staff on federally funded projects would file a report with their school each July 31. It would list foreign gifts worth more than a small set amount and foreign contracts worth $5,000 or more.
Each covered school would pick one to three of its own employees to run this work. They would have to sign off that the school is following the rules and its own written policy.
Civil Liberties
The public database would leave names out. Schools would still keep a list of who disclosed what, and that list could be released through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The bill treats any person who is not a U.S. citizen or national as a foreign source. A gift from a non-citizen friend, relative, or co-worker would have to be reported.
Some countries are already on the list under defense law. The Education Secretary could add more, after a check with defense, State, and intelligence chiefs. A deal with a source from a listed country counts at any value.
Transparency & Accountability
Each school would run a searchable, downloadable database on its own website. Entries would go up 30 days after the school gets the report and stay up at least five years.
Most foreign contracts would be reported only above $5,000, and only in short form. But a deal with a country or company on the concern list counts at any value. Its whole text would go public.
One office at the Department would keep a public web page. It would list every country and company treated as a concern. Schools would be told within 7 days when that list changes.
These are floors, not caps. A first fine would be $250,000, or the full unreported amount if that is bigger; a later fine would be $500,000, or double. The school would also repay what the probe cost the government.
More about this bill
Researchers at big research universities would report the foreign money they receive. The rule would cover schools that took more than $50 million in federal research funds in any of the past five years. It would also cover schools that get Title VI money for international studies. Covered staff would file a report to their school every July 31. Gifts worth more than a small set amount would count. So would contracts worth $5,000 or more. Schools would have to set all this up within 90 days of the law passing. Each school would post the reports in a public database on its website. The database would be searchable and easy to download. Names would be left off that public version. Schools would still keep the names on file. Investigators could see them. So could people who file public records requests. Contracts with a country or company on the government's concern list would face stricter rules. Those would be reported at any value, even $0. Their full text would go online. Schools would also keep a plan to spot foreign spying aimed at their researchers. The Education Department would investigate suspected violations. It could ask the Attorney General to sue a school in federal court. A first violation would cost at least $250,000. Later ones would cost at least $500,000, or twice the unreported amount. A school sued three times would lose federal student aid for at least two years. Federal grants and loans would not be available at that school during that time.
Congressional Summary
Disclose Getting Involved in Foreign Transactions Act or the Disclose GIFT Act This bill requires certain institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disclose gifts or contracts between covered individuals (e.g., researchers) and foreign sources. This bill applies to an IHE that (1) is an eligible institution for purposes of federal student aid programs, and (2) has received more than $50 million in federal funds in any of the previous five calendar years (with at least part to support research and development) or that receives certain other federal funds. Specifically, the bill requires an IHE to maintain a policy requiring covered individuals employed at the IHE to annually disclose gifts received from, or contracts entered into with, a foreign source; a publicly available and searchable database with the disclosed information, excluding personally identifiable information; and a plan to identify and manage potential information gathering by foreign sources through espionage targeting covered individuals that may arise from such gifts or contracts. The bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to investigate possible violations of this bill and outlines the various penalties for each violation. Additionally, ED must maintain a single point of contact to, among other duties, receive and respond to inquiries and requests for technical assistance from IHEs regarding compliance with the requirements of the bill. IHEs must also establish policies and designate compliance officers. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on ways to improve intergovernmental agency coordination for implementing and enforcing disclosure reporting requirements.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-03-10
- Date Added
- 2026-07-30
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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