House · HR 1005 · 119th Congress
Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems Act
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Summary
This bill requires public K-12 schools to report any foreign money or contracts over $10,000 to the Department of Education. Schools must report within 30 days of receiving the funds or signing the deal. Schools that do not report risk losing their federal education funding.
In Favor
Foreign governments could use money or contracts to shape what students learn in public schools. This bill makes schools report any foreign funding over $10,000 so the government can spot outside influence early. Transparency lets officials catch problems before foreign money quietly changes classroom content or school priorities.
Against
Schools must report all foreign money and contracts over $10,000 or risk losing federal funds. But Congress rejected funding to help schools track donor citizenship and business ownership. That unfunded burden could push schools to avoid any contract or donation that seems foreign, cutting off legal partnerships to protect their federal aid.
Additional Considerations
Purpose & Problem
Is the problem real and worth federal action?
The bill requires public K-12 schools to report money received from or contracts made with foreign sources to the Department of Education. Schools must file this report within 30 days when amounts top $10,000, as a condition of receiving federal education funds.
Scope & Related Provisions
Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?
The bill also bans schools from accepting money from or signing contracts with the Chinese government or the Chinese Communist Party. This ban goes beyond the disclosure requirement, adding a prohibition tied to the same federal funding condition.
Who Is Affected
Who benefits, and who bears the cost?
Public elementary and secondary schools must track and report foreign funding and contracts. The Department of Education receives and holds those reports. Schools that do not comply risk losing their federal education funding.
Cost & Funding
Is it affordable and responsibly funded?
The bill does not authorize any funds to help schools comply with its requirements. A minority amendment to authorize $300 million per year for compliance was rejected by the committee. Schools bear the cost of building systems to track, identify, and report foreign sources.
Risks & Implementation
What could go wrong in practice?
Schools must identify whether donors or contractors qualify as foreign sources, but most schools do not currently collect that information. The bill does not define a role for state or local education agencies, which normally pass federal funds to schools, creating unclear reporting pathways.
For the actual bill text, see congress.gov.
AI-generated · Published 5/31/2026