Sister City Transparency Act

Federal study of sister city partnerships

If enacted, the Comptroller General would study sister city partnerships between U.S. communities and foreign subnational governments in countries scoring 45 or less on Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index. The study would identify how foreign partners pick U.S. communities, catalog partnership activities, and report economic and educational outcomes. It would assess transparency of contracts and activities and risks such as threats to free expression, foreign espionage, economic coercion, visa misuse, and access to local institutions. The Comptroller General would send findings, conclusions, and any recommendations to the listed congressional committees within 6 months after starting the study. The report could include a classified annex, and the study would be limited to partnerships recognized by Sister Cities International and operating in the United States.