S. 4648119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Jun 1, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: A bill to improve transparency with respect to foreign influence on Department of Defense contractors.
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
S 4648 requires defense contractors to disclose true ownership and lowers foreign-risk review threshold from $5M to $500K.
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S 4648 would require any company bidding on a Defense Department contract to disclose its beneficial owners, meaning the real individuals who ultimately own or control the company even if their names do not appear on official business documents. The Defense Department would have two years to update its contracting rules to make this a standard requirement. The bill also lowers the dollar threshold that triggers foreign ownership scrutiny in the defense supply chain from $5 million to $500,000.
Companies that sell goods or services to the U.S. military, including both prime contractors and subcontractors, are directly affected. Smaller companies that previously fell below the $5 million review threshold would now face additional screening under the lower $500,000 trigger.
Lowering the threshold means far more contracts would be reviewed for potential foreign influence before they are awarded. The disclosure requirement is intended to surface hidden foreign owners who could quietly influence how defense suppliers operate.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a Senate committee is reviewing it. If the House changes it, it goes back to the Senate before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.