Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
In Committee
Summary
Blocks and exposes foreign money behind U.S. civil lawsuits to limit hidden foreign influence. The bill forces parties and lawyers to disclose foreign third-party funders, requires production of funding agreements, and bans funding from foreign states and sovereign wealth funds.
Show full summary
- Parties and counsel must list the name, address, and citizenship or country of incorporation of any foreign person, foreign state, or sovereign wealth fund with a contingent right to payments, and produce any agreement that creates that right. Disclosures must be made within 30 days of the agreement or filing and updated within 30 days of any correction.
- Funding tied to a foreign state or a sovereign wealth fund is unlawful and any agreement that creates a contingent payment right funded by such sources is void. This directly bars sovereign-backed financing of U.S. civil suits.
- The Attorney General must report to Congress annually and in the first year on foreign third-party litigation funding. Reports must name funders, identify funding sources and countries, estimate total foreign-sourced money, note judicial districts, and summarize case subjects.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Ban on foreign government lawsuit funding
This bill would bar outside funding of a lawsuit when the money comes, directly or indirectly, from a foreign state or a sovereign wealth fund. It would cover deals that give anyone besides the named parties or their lawyers a payment tied to the case or a related portfolio matter. Any agreement that breaks this rule would be null and void. This could cut off some funding sources in covered federal civil cases.
New disclosures on foreign lawsuit funding
If enacted, parties and their lawyers in federal civil cases would face new funding disclosure rules. Within 30 days of a case filing or of signing a funding agreement, they would have to name any foreign-tied funder with a right to payment. They would disclose to the court, all other parties, the Attorney General, and the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security. They would also identify such funders tied to related portfolio matters handled by the same or affiliated counsel. They would produce the agreement, certify any foreign sourcing and amounts or certify that it does not apply, and fix material errors within 30 days. Disclosures would be under penalty of perjury and could be sanctioned under Rules 26 and 37.
Who is covered and when it applies
This bill would define who counts as a foreign person, a foreign state, and a sovereign wealth fund. A foreign person would mean anyone who is not a U.S. person, but not a foreign state or a sovereign wealth fund. A sovereign wealth fund would mean a fund owned or controlled by a foreign state, its agencies or instrumentalities, or an agent of a foreign principal. These rules would apply to cases pending on, or filed after, the date of enactment. The bill would not set a sunset date.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
VA • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
MN • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]
TX • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 9/4/2025
Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 9/4/2025
Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]
CA • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]
TX • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 9/10/2025
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]
VA • R
Sponsored 9/10/2025
Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4]
MO • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Schmidt
KS • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]
AL • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Van Duyne
TX • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5]
WA • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Moore (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Barr
KY • R
Sponsored 11/12/2025
Rep. Wagner, Ann [R-MO-2]
MO • R
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5]
TX • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
IA • R
Sponsored 3/20/2026
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
KS • R
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]
CA • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6]
WI • R
Sponsored 4/23/2026
Biggs (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 4/28/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov