H.R. 1535: Foreign Influence Transparency Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-03 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-03 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. 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

Foreign Influence Transparency Act

Plain summary

Foreign Influence Transparency Act This bill addresses foreign influence in higher education and in certain other academic, religious, and artistic pursuits. Current law exempts from foreign agent registration requirements a person engaging in activities in furtherance of religious, scholastic, academic, or scientific pursuits or of the fine arts. The bill specifies that this exemption applies only to those activities that do not promote the political agenda of a foreign government. Under current law, an institution of higher education (IHE) must disclose to the Department of Education (ED) a gift or contract that is from a foreign source and is valued at $250,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts from or contracts with the foreign source. The bill instead requires an IHE to disclose such a gift or contract that is valued at $50,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts or contracts. An IHE must include in its disclosure report the contents of any such contract and make the contents available for public disclosure. Additionally, an IHE that enters into an agreement with a Confucius Institute (i.e., a cultural institute directly or indirectly funded by the Chinese government) must immediately make available the full text of the agreement to the public, ED, and Congress. Finally, the bill prohibits an IHE that does not comply with these disclosure requirements from enrolling foreign students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

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

Foreign Influence Transparency Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] · 34 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ralph Norman (R-SC), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Brian Babin (R-TX), Michael R. Turner (R-OH), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Elise M. Stefanik (R-NY), William R. Timmons IV (R-SC), Michael Guest (R-MS), Andy Harris (R-MD), Brian J. Mast (R-FL), Rick W. Allen (R-GA), David Rouzer (R-NC), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), John R. Carter (R-TX), Randy K. Weber, Sr. (R-TX), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Neal P. Dunn (R-FL), Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), W. Gregory Steube (R-FL), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] reported raising $1.0 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)

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).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.

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-117hr1535.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr1535 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117