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CIVIC HERALD
HR 1048 · 119th Congress · HouseIn committee

DETERRENT Act

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

In plain language: This bill requires colleges and universities to disclose foreign gifts and contracts worth $50,000 or more, while requiring the disclosure of any amount received from designated foreign countries or entities of concern. It prohibits higher education institutions from signing contracts with countries of concern without a federal waiver and requires staff at major research universities to report personal foreign income and gifts. Large private universities must also disclose their endowment investments in countries of concern, and schools that violate these reporting rules face significant financial penalties or temporary loss of federal student aid eligibility.

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Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—not determinable from the text provided; the bill applies broadly to Title IV eligible institutions of higher education, covered research faculty, and compliance officers, but does not specify total counts.
Fiscal magnitude—CBO cost estimate published (H.R. 1048, DETERRENT Act, 2025-03-10); dollar figure pending review extraction — see receipt
Reach
provisional · pending review67rigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Security vs. privacy−35Ethics & oversight+60Regulation (cross-sector)+55

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Provisional: our reading of who it affects, pending review.

Who it helps

  • Federal national security, intelligence, and research agenciesFederal intelligence, defense, law enforcement, foreign affairs, and research agencies automatically receive unredacted disclosure reports within 30 days of receipt and historical compliance investigation records within 90 days (Sec. 2(a), Sec. 2(c)).provisional

Who it burdens

  • Colleges and universitiesMust submit annual reports detailing foreign gifts and contracts of $50,000 or more (and all transactions with foreign countries or entities of concern), establish compliance policies, designate compliance officers, and risk civil fines and loss of federal student financial aid (Title IV) eligibility for noncompliance (Sec. 2(a), Sec. 5(a), Sec. 5(b)).provisional
  • Researchers and faculty at major research institutionsCovered faculty and researchers at major federally funded research institutions and Title VI recipients must report foreign gifts exceeding minimal value and foreign contracts valued at $5,000 or more (or $0 or more for entities of concern) to their institutions annually (Sec. 3).provisional
  • Large private universities with foreign holdingsPrivate institutions with over $6 billion in assets and more than $250 million in investments in foreign countries or entities of concern must file annual reports detailing those investment holdings and capital gains (Sec. 4).provisional
  • Department of EducationMust establish and maintain searchable public databases of foreign gifts, contracts, and investments; process contract waiver requests; provide technical assistance; form an advisory user group; and investigate compliance violations (Sec. 2(a), Sec. 2(b), Sec. 4(g), Sec. 5(a)).provisional

Who backs it

  • Noncompliant higher education institutionsInstitutions compelled by court order to comply with foreign disclosure or contract rules must pay the U.S. Treasury the full costs of federal investigations and enforcement, as well as substantial civil monetary penalties (Sec. 5(a)).provisional

Who opposes it

  • Foreign countries and entities of concernProhibits higher education institutions from entering into contracts with them without receiving an annual waiver from the Secretary of Education, and mandates termination of existing contracts if waivers are not granted or if entities become newly designated (Sec. 2(b)).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

Provisional: our reading of what the bill does, pending review.

Show all 13 provisions

  1. Requires colleges and universities to submit annual reports to the Department of Education detailing foreign gifts and contracts valued at $50,000 or more (or of undetermined value), and any gifts or approved waiver contracts from designated foreign countries or entities of concern regardless of value.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  2. Directs the Secretary of Education to create and maintain a searchable, downloadable public online database of all foreign gift and contract disclosures, while keeping the names and addresses of individual foreign donors confidential.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  3. Prohibits higher education institutions from entering into contracts with foreign countries or entities of concern without receiving a one-year waiver from the Secretary of Education, and requires schools to terminate non-waived existing contracts or contracts with newly designated entities.

    Sec. 2(b)provisional

  4. Requires major research institutions and Title VI recipients to require covered researchers and faculty to report foreign gifts and contracts, publish those disclosures in an online institutional database, and maintain an anti-espionage plan.

    Sec. 3provisional

  5. Requires private institutions with over $6 billion in non-exempt assets and more than $250 million in investments in foreign countries or entities of concern to file annual disclosure reports on those holdings for inclusion in a public database.

    Sec. 4provisional

  6. Authorizes federal investigations and civil lawsuits against institutions that knowingly fail to comply with foreign disclosure or contract rules, imposing investigation costs, civil fines based on federal aid or undisclosed transaction amounts, and bans on contract waivers for repeat offenders.

    Sec. 5(a)provisional

  7. Bars institutions from participating in federal student financial aid programs under Title IV for at least two years if they have been subject to three separate court orders compelling compliance and are banned from receiving foreign contract waivers.

    Sec. 5(b)provisional

  8. Requires institutions substantially controlled by a foreign entity to file annual disclosure reports detailing foreign ownership and any resulting structural or program changes.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  9. Requires the Department of Education to share unredacted foreign gift and contract disclosure reports with federal intelligence, defense, law enforcement, foreign affairs, and research agencies within 30 days of receipt.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  10. Directs the Secretary of Education to transmit all previously received foreign disclosure reports and prior compliance investigation records to specified national security, intelligence, and research agencies within 90 days.

    Sec. 2(c)provisional

  11. Requires the Department of Education to establish a technical assistance contact, publish an updated list of foreign countries and entities of concern, create a university advisory user group, and provide quarterly status reports on compliance investigations.

    Sec. 5(a)provisional

  12. Requires participating institutions to establish internal compliance policies and appoint up to three compliance officers to certify the accuracy and due diligence of foreign disclosure reports and waiver requests.

    Sec. 5(a)provisional

  13. Directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study and submit a report within three years on improving interagency coordination and enforcement of higher education foreign transaction disclosures.

    Sec. 5(c)provisional

  1. Requires colleges and universities to submit annual reports to the Department of Education detailing foreign gifts and contracts valued at $50,000 or more (or of undetermined value), and any gifts or approved waiver contracts from designated foreign countries or entities of concern regardless of value.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  2. Directs the Secretary of Education to create and maintain a searchable, downloadable public online database of all foreign gift and contract disclosures, while keeping the names and addresses of individual foreign donors confidential.

    Sec. 2(a)provisional

  3. Prohibits higher education institutions from entering into contracts with foreign countries or entities of concern without receiving a one-year waiver from the Secretary of Education, and requires schools to terminate non-waived existing contracts or contracts with newly designated entities.

    Sec. 2(b)provisional

  4. Requires major research institutions and Title VI recipients to require covered researchers and faculty to report foreign gifts and contracts, publish those disclosures in an online institutional database, and maintain an anti-espionage plan.

    Sec. 3provisional

  5. Requires private institutions with over $6 billion in non-exempt assets and more than $250 million in investments in foreign countries or entities of concern to file annual disclosure reports on those holdings for inclusion in a public database.

    Sec. 4provisional

  6. Authorizes federal investigations and civil lawsuits against institutions that knowingly fail to comply with foreign disclosure or contract rules, imposing investigation costs, civil fines based on federal aid or undisclosed transaction amounts, and bans on contract waivers for repeat offenders.

    Sec. 5(a)provisional

  7. Bars institutions from participating in federal student financial aid programs under Title IV for at least two years if they have been subject to three separate court orders compelling compliance and are banned from receiving foreign contract waivers.

    Sec. 5(b)provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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The record

How members voted on DETERRENT Act.

Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.

  • House · Mar 27, 2025 · YEA-AND-NAY

    On Passage · Passed

    Source →

Timeline

How it moved.

Show all 35 actions
  1. Mar 31, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  2. Mar 27, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Mar 27, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).
  4. Mar 27, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).
  5. Mar 27, 2025The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
  6. Mar 27, 2025The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  7. Mar 27, 2025The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1048.
  8. Mar 27, 2025The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
  9. Mar 27, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1312-1316)
  10. Mar 25, 2025Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 1048 as unfinished business.
  11. Mar 25, 2025On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
  12. Mar 25, 2025Mr. Walberg moved that the committee rise.
  13. Mar 25, 2025POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Tlaib amendment No. 6, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Tlaib demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  14. Mar 25, 2025DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 242, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Tlaib amendment No. 6.
  15. Mar 25, 2025POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Tlaib amendment No. 5, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Tlaib demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  16. Mar 25, 2025DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 242, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Tlaib amendment No. 5.
  17. Mar 25, 2025POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Self amendment No. 4, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Scott (VA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  18. Mar 25, 2025DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 242, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Self amendment No. 4.
  19. Mar 25, 2025POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment No. 3, the Chair put the question on agreeing to the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Scott (VA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  20. Mar 25, 2025DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 242, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Scott (VA) amendment No. 3.
  21. Mar 25, 2025DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 242, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Ogles amendment No. 2.
  22. Mar 25, 2025DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 242, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Ogles amendment No. 1.
  23. Mar 25, 2025GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 1048.
  24. Mar 25, 2025The Speaker designated the Honorable Pat Harrigan to act as Chairman of the Committee.
  25. Mar 25, 2025House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 242 and Rule XVIII.
  26. Mar 25, 2025Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 24, H.J. Res. 75 and H.R. 1048. The resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75 under a closed rule, and provides for consideration of H.R. 1048 under a structured rule. Also, the resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each measure.
  27. Mar 25, 2025Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 242. (consideration: CR H1241-1260)
  28. Mar 25, 2025Rule H. Res. 242 passed House.
  29. Mar 24, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 242 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 24, H.J. Res. 75 and H.R. 1048. The resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75 under a closed rule, and provides for consideration of H.R. 1048 under a structured rule. Also, the resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each measure.
  30. Mar 14, 2025Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 9.
  31. Mar 14, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-16.
  32. Feb 12, 2025Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 14.
  33. Feb 12, 2025Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  34. Feb 6, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
  35. Feb 6, 2025Introduced in House
  1. Mar 31, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  2. Mar 27, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Mar 27, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).
  4. Mar 27, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 241 - 169 (Roll no. 83).
  5. Mar 27, 2025The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
  6. Mar 25, 2025On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
  7. Mar 25, 2025Rule H. Res. 242 passed House.
  8. Mar 24, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 242 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 24, H.J. Res. 75 and H.R. 1048. The resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 24 and H.J. Res. 75 under a closed rule, and provides for consideration of H.R. 1048 under a structured rule. Also, the resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each measure.
  9. Mar 14, 2025Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Workforce. H. Rept. 119-16.
  10. Feb 12, 2025Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 14.
  11. Feb 6, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

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Sources & provenance

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Cite this page

Civic Herald. “DETERRENT Act (H.R. 1048, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-1048. Congress.gov record as of Jul 13, 2026.

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