Bill > S1351

This bill requires the Comptroller General (the head of the Government Accountability Office) to conduct a comprehensive study on sister city partnerships involving foreign communities from countries with high levels of public sector corruption, as measured by Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index. The study will examine various aspects of these partnerships, including the criteria for establishing them, the types of activities conducted, economic and educational outcomes, transparency practices, and potential risks to U.S. national and economic security. Specifically, the study will investigate how these partnerships might enable foreign nationals to access local institutions, potentially contribute to strategic objectives that could harm U.S. interests, or facilitate activities related to espionage or human rights abuses. The Comptroller General will be required to submit a report to key congressional committees within 9 months of initiating the study, which may include a classified annex. The bill defines key terms such as "sister city partnership" as a formal agreement between a U.S. and foreign community recognized by Sister Cities International, and aims to provide greater oversight and transparency of these international local government exchanges.

Government Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1351/all-info