HR 1048
DETERRENT Act
Summary
Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act or the DETERRENT Act This bill expands oversight and disclosure requirements related to foreign sources and institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires an IHE to annually disclose to the Department of Education (ED) any year in which the IHE receives a gift from a foreign country of concern (e.g., China or Russia) or foreign entity of concern of any dollar amount; receives a gift or contract from a foreign source (other than a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern) that is valued at $50,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts or contracts within a calendar year (current disclosure threshold is $250,000 or more), or which has an undetermined monetary value; enters into a contract with a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern after receiving a waiver for such contract; or is substantially controlled by a foreign source. Additionally, the bill prohibits IHEs from entering into contracts with a foreign country of concern or with a foreign entity of concern without obtaining a waiver, requires certain IHEs to disclose gifts or contracts between covered individuals (e.g., researchers) and foreign sources, and requires private IHEs with specified assets or investments to file annual investment disclosure reports. The bill requires ED to investigate possible violations of this bill and outlines the various penalties for each violation. Penalties may include losing eligibility for federal student financial aid.
Bill status
- Status
- Passed House
- Sponsor
- Rep. Michael Baumgartner [R-WA-5]
- Cosponsors
- 21
- Policy area
- Education
- Introduced
- 2025-02-06
- Latest action
- 2025-03-31: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Committee referrals
Recent actions
- 2025-03-31: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-03-27: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-03-27: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).
- 2025-03-27: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).
- 2025-03-27: The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.