DETERRENT Act
Sponsored By: Senator Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Introduced
Summary
Limits and public reporting of foreign gifts and contracts. This bill would require colleges and universities to disclose most foreign gifts and contracts, ban certain deals with foreign countries or entities of concern, and create public and federal databases to track them.
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- Students and researchers would see more public transparency about outside funding. Institutions must report gifts of $50,000 or more from the same foreign source each year and post received disclosures in searchable databases soon after receipt.
- Colleges would face new compliance duties. Covered institutions must adopt written policies, designate 1 to 3 compliance officers, keep contracts and translations, and follow a 1‑year, renewable waiver process for prohibited contracts.
- Institutions risk large fines and program penalties for willful noncompliance. Waiver violations can trigger fines tied to Federal research funding of 5 to 10 percent for a first violation and 20 percent for subsequent violations. Other civil fines start at $250,000 for first violations of disclosure rules and rise on repeat violations.
- The Department of Education must build a public database by May 31 after enactment and share unredacted reports with national security and science agencies within 30 days, plus transmit prior reports within 90 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Ban on some foreign contracts, narrow waivers
If enacted, institutions would be barred from entering contracts with a listed foreign country or entity of concern unless they get a contract-specific waiver. Waiver requests would have to be filed at least 120 days before the contract, include the full unredacted contract (with English translation if needed), and a compliance-officer certification that the deal benefits the institution and U.S. security, stability, or economic vitality. The Secretary would decide in time to notify the institution 60 days before the contract and must notify committees two weeks before issuing a waiver. Pre-enactment contracts would require a waiver request within 30 days after enactment and an initial waiver lasting up to one year.
Stronger enforcement, fines, and bans
If enacted, the Education Secretary could investigate violations and the Attorney General could sue to force compliance. Institutions forced to comply by a court would pay the government's enforcement costs. The bill would allow tiered civil fines: for some first-time failures the fine would be the greater of $50,000 or the gift/contract value, or 1%–10% of recent federal funds if value is indeterminate; repeat failures would face higher minimums. An institution that loses three civil cases and cannot get waivers could lose eligibility for HEA programs for at least two fiscal years.
New disclosure rules for covered individuals
If enacted, certain faculty and staff at covered institutions would have to file annual reports by July 31 listing foreign gifts and contracts they received the prior year. Reports would cover gifts above the minimal value in 5 U.S.C. 7342(a) or of indeterminate value, and contracts (not with listed countries/entities) worth $5,000 or more from the same source in a year. Institutions would post a public, searchable database within 30 days of receipt and keep records at least five years. Covered institutions would also have to name one to three compliance officers and keep a foreign-influence risk management plan within 90 days of enactment.
New foreign gift and contract reporting
If enacted, colleges and universities would have to report foreign gifts and contracts to the Department of Education each year by July 31. Gifts of $50,000 or more from the same foreign source in a year must be reported, and any gift or contract from a listed foreign country or entity of concern must be reported no matter the value. The Department would run a public, searchable database by May 31 after enactment and post new reports within 30 days. The Department must share unredacted reports with national security and research agencies within 30 days and send older reports and files within 90 days. The bill would protect some personal information (like names and addresses of private foreign individuals and disclosers) from public release, with exceptions for listed countries/entities of concern.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
NC • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
MO • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 4/3/2025
Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 6/2/2025
Mike Rounds
SD • R
Sponsored 7/22/2025
Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 3/11/2026
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 4/16/2026
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/28/2026
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Sponsored 5/11/2026
Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 5/13/2026
Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]
PA • R
Sponsored 5/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov