Protecting Academic Integrity Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3921 To require an institution of higher education to file a disclosure report with the Secretary of Education whenever such institution receives a gift from or enters into a contract with a foreign source, the value of which is $50,000 or more, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 23, 2019 Mr. PERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To require an institution of higher education to file a disclo- sure report with the Secretary of Education whenever such institution receives a gift from or enters into a contract with a foreign source, the value of which is $50,000 or more, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Academic 4 Integrity Act of 2019’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:12 Jul 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3921.IH H3921 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 3921 IH SEC. 2. DISCLOSURE OF FOREIGN GIFTS. 1 (a) VALUE OF GIFTS.—Section 117(a) of the Higher 2 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011f(a)) is amended 3 by striking ‘‘$250,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,000’’. 4 (b) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—Section 117(b) of the 5 Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011f(b)) is 6 amended— 7 (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘and, when 8 available, the specific department, agency, office, or 9 division of the foreign government responsible for 10 the gift or contract’’ before the period at the end; 11 (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘and, when 12 available, the specific department, agency, office, or 13 division of the foreign government responsible for 14 the gift or contract’’ before the period at the end; 15 and 16 (3) by adding at the end the following: 17 ‘‘(4) If available, the purpose or intention of a 18 foreign gift or contract. If no purpose or intention 19 is identified with respect to the gift or contract, the 20 institution shall report the intended use of such gift 21 or contract and the account or the department of 22 such institution that will receive such gift or con- 23 tract.’’. 24 (c) ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES FOR RESTRICTED 25 AND CONDITIONAL GIFTS.—Section 117(c)(2) of the 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:12 Jul 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3921.IH H3921 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 3921 IH Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011f(c)(2)) 1 is amended by inserting ‘‘and, when available, the specific 2 department, agency, office, or division of the foreign gov- 3 ernment responsible for the gift or contract’’ before the 4 period at the end. 5 (d) APPLICABILITY.—This section and the amend- 6 ments made by this section shall take effect on the date 7 that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 8 SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT. 9 (a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 10 States shall carry out a study on— 11 (1) the extent to which institutions of higher 12 education comply with— 13 (A) the requirements of section 117 of the 14 Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 15 1011f); and 16 (B) the regulations issued pursuant to 17 such section; 18 (2) in the case of institutions of higher edu- 19 cation that fail to comply with such requirements, 20 the reasons for the failure of such institutions of 21 higher education to comply; 22 (3) the extent to which institutions of higher 23 education attempt to correct a failure to comply with 24 such requirements; and 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:12 Jul 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3921.IH H3921 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 3921 IH (4) the Federal efforts to increase compliance 1 with such requirements. 2 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 3 of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 4 the United States shall submit to Congress a report that 5 includes the results of the study conducted under sub- 6 section (a). 7 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:12 Jul 31, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3921.IH H3921 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS