House Passes Bill Impacting Financial Contributions

The House on March 27 passed the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act (DETERRENT, H.R. 1048) Act with a 241-169 bipartisan vote, advancing the bill to the Senate. Sponsored by Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.), the bill would expand college foreign gift reporting requirements under Section 117 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (P.L. 110-315). Colleges are currently required to report foreign gifts and contracts valued at more than $250,000. The bill would lower the reporting threshold to $50,000, with some stricter $0 thresholds for “countries and entities of concern.” On March 24, the House Committee on Rules made in order several amendments to be considered during the House floor vote. However, none of these amendments were adopted.

House lawmakers in the 118th Congress approved the DETERRENT Act with a 246-170 bipartisan vote, but the legislation did not advance in the Senate. The AAMC joined a June 2024 letter with the higher education community opposing the DETERRENT Act’s inclusion as an amendment to the House-version of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (NDAA, H.R. 8070) [refer to Washington Highlights, June 14, 2024]. The DETERRENT Act ultimately was not included in the final FY 2025 NDAA.