H.R. 7170: America FIRST Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-06-11 · Education · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-06-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

America FIRST Act

Plain summary

America: Foreign Influence Resistance Starts with Transparency Act or the America FIRST Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) to disclose additional information related to gifts and contracts from foreign sources. Specifically, the bill requires IHEs, nonprofit departments within IHEs, and affiliates of IHEs (e.g., professors and researchers) to disclose in the byline of publications the total value of gifts, contracts, and financial assets received by them from foreign sources. The Department of Education (ED) must determine appropriate enforcement actions for failures to do so, such as imposing a probationary period or limiting eligibility for federal funds. Additionally, IHEs must report to ED a gift or contract from a foreign source that has an annual value of $50,000 or more, considered in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with a foreign source. The fair market value of in-kind gifts is included in such limit. (Currently, a report is due if the annual value is $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with a foreign source.) Such reports to ED must also include the content of the contracts.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

America FIRST Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1] · 22 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Chip Roy (R-TX), David Rouzer (R-NC), Brian Babin (R-TX), Scott Perry (R-PA), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Gregory F. Murphy (R-NC), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Thomas P. Tiffany (R-WI), Glenn Grothman (R-WI)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr7170.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr7170 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116