119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 9602

Less Bureaucracy, Better International Foreign Gift Transparency Act

Introduced

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

This bill, the Less Bureaucracy, Better International Foreign Gift Transparency Act, transfers the Department of Education’s functions related to disclosing foreign gifts to the Department of State. It aims to improve transparency in international foreign gift and contract reporting by consolidating these responsibilities under a single agency. The bill also establishes procedures for personnel and funding transitions, and ensures continued operation of existing legal documents and proceedings.

Key provisions

Transfers functions related to foreign gift disclosure from the Department of Education to the Department of State.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to exercise existing authorities related to foreign gift reporting.
Transfers personnel, assets, liabilities, and appropriations from the Department of Education to the Department of State.
Requires the Office of Management and Budget to ensure no net increase in full-time equivalent employees.
Establishes procedures for continued operation of existing legal documents and proceedings.
Defines ‘function’ broadly to include duties, obligations, and programs.
Allows for a 6-month transition period for implementing the changes, with some immediate transfers possible.
Specifies that unexpended funds transferred to the Department of State must be used for their original authorized purpose.

Who is affected

Department of State
Department of Education
Higher Education Institutions

Positions across the country

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Legislative history

2026-07-09House

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

2026-07-09

Introduced in House

2026-07-09

Introduced in House

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Jul 9, 2026XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 2d Session

H. R. 9602

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

To ensure the Department of State will manage all foreign gift and contract reporting done under section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Less Bureaucracy, Better International Foreign Gift Transparency Act

2.Transfer of Department of Education functions related to disclosure of foreign gifts

There are transferred to the Secretary of State all functions which the Secretary of Education exercised before the effective date of this Act (including all related functions of any officer or employee of the Department of Education) under section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011f).

3.Exercise of authorities

Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary of State may, for purposes of performing a function under section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011f), exercise all authorities under any other provision of law that were available with respect to the performance of that function to the Secretary of Education immediately before the effective date of the transfer of the function under this Act.

4.Transfer and allocations of appropriations and personnel

Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the personnel employed in connection with, and the assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds employed, used, held, arising from, available to, or to be made available in connection with the functions transferred under this Act, subject to section 1531 of title 31, United States Code, shall be transferred to the Department of State. Unexpended funds transferred pursuant to this section shall be used only for the purposes for which the funds were originally authorized and appropriated.

5.Authority of Director of the Office of Management and Budget with respect to functions transferred

(a)Personnel determinationsThe Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall ensure that this Act does not result in a net increase in full-time equivalent employees at the Federal agencies impacted by this Act, based on the number of such employees at such agencies on the date of enactment of this Act.

(b)Function determinationsIf necessary, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall make any determination of the functions that are transferred under this Act.

(c)Incidental transfersThe Director of the Office of Management and Budget, at such time or times as the Director shall provide, may make such determinations as may be necessary with regard to the functions transferred by this Act, and to make such additional incidental dispositions of personnel, assets, liabilities, grants, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds held, used, arising from, available to, or to be made available in connection with such functions, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The Director shall provide for further measures and dispositions as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act.

(d)Certification of compliance

On the effective date of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall certify compliance with this Act, including the requirement under subsection (a), to the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

6.Delegation and assignment

Except as otherwise expressly prohibited by law or otherwise provided in this Act, the Secretary of State may delegate any of the functions transferred to the Secretary under this Act to such officers and employees of the Secretary as the Secretary may designate, and may authorize successive redelegations of such functions as may be necessary or appropriate. No delegation of functions by the Secretary of State under this section or under any other provision of this Act shall relieve the Secretary of responsibility for the administration of the function.

7.References

With regard to functions transferred under section 2, a reference in any other Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or delegation of authority, or any document of or relating to—

(1)

the Secretary of Education shall be deemed to refer to the Secretary of State; and

(2)

the Department of Education shall be deemed to refer to the Department of State.

8.Savings provisions

(a)Legal documents

All orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, agreements, certificates, licenses, and privileges—

(1)that have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become effective by the President, any Federal agency or official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the performance of any function that is transferred by this Act, and

(2)

that are in effect on the effective date of such transfer (or become effective after such date pursuant to their terms as in effect on such effective date),

shall continue in effect according to their terms until modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in accordance with law by the President, the Secretary of State, any other authorized official, a court of competent jurisdiction, or operation of law.

(b)ProceedingsThis Act shall not affect any proceedings or any application for any benefits, service, license, permit, certificate, or financial assistance pending on the effective date of this Act before the Department of Education (with respect to functions transferred by this Act). Such proceedings and applications shall continue, orders shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such orders, as if this Act had not been enacted, and orders issued in any such proceeding shall continue in effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such proceeding under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent that such proceeding could have been discontinued or modified if this Act had not been enacted.

(c)Suits

Except as provided in subsection (e)—

(1)

this Act shall not affect suits commenced before the effective date of this Act; and

(2)

in all such suits, proceeding shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered in the same manner and with the same effect as if this Act had not been enacted.

(d)Nonabatement of actionsNo suit, action, or other proceeding commenced by or against the Department of Education (with respect to the functions transferred by this Act), or by or against any individual in the official capacity of such individual as an officer or employee of the Department of Education (with regard to functions transferred by this Act), shall abate by reason of the enactment of this Act.

(e)Continuance of suitsIf, before the date on which a transfer of a function under this Act takes effect, the Secretary of Education or any officer or employee of the Department of Education in the official capacity as such an officer or employee is party to a suit relating to the function, then such suit shall be continued and the Secretary of State, or other appropriate official of the Department of State, shall be substituted or added as a party.

(f)Administrative procedure and judicial review

Except as otherwise provided by this Act, any statutory requirements relating to notice, hearings, action upon the record, or administrative or judicial review that apply to any function transferred by this Act shall apply to the exercise of such function by the Secretary of State, and other officers of the Department of State, to which such function is transferred by this Act.

9.Transition

Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State is authorized to use, for such period of time as may reasonably be needed to facilitate the orderly implementation of this Act—

(1)

the services of officers, employees, and other personnel of the Department of Education with regard to functions transferred under this Act;

(2)

assets of the Department of Education with regard to such functions; and

(3)

funds appropriated to such functions.

10.Definition of function

For purposes of this Act, the term function includes any duty, obligation, power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege, activity, or program.

11.Effective date

(a)In generalExcept as provided in section 9, this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.

(b)Early implementationNotwithstanding subsection (a), transfers of functions under section 2 or any other provision of this Act (other than section 9) may be carried out beginning on the date of enactment of this Act but not later than the effective date of this Act.

HR 9602

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