H.R. 9602119th CongressIn markupLatest action Jul 15, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Less Bureaucracy, Better International Foreign Gift Transparency Act
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
HR 9602 would move oversight of foreign gifts to U.S. colleges from the Department of Education to the State Department.
50-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill transfers responsibility for tracking foreign gifts and contracts given to U.S. colleges and universities from the Department of Education to the Department of State, including the staff, records, funding, and legal authority needed to do the job. It also includes technical provisions to keep ongoing legal cases and contracts uninterrupted, requires OMB to confirm the change doesn't increase total federal employees, and updates legal references from "Secretary of Education" to "Secretary of State." The change takes effect six months after enactment, though early steps could begin sooner.
Colleges and universities receiving foreign funding, gifts, or contracts would report to a new agency. Department of Education employees who currently handle this program would see their jobs and records moved to the State Department.
The general public would likely notice little direct change, though the shift could affect how foreign gift oversight is managed and by whom.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 16.