Sister City Transparency Act

To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study to evaluate the activities of sister city partnerships operating within the United States, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Sister City Transparency Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate (B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate (C) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate (D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives (E) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives (F) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives (2) Foreign community The term foreign community (3) Sister city partnership The term sister city partnership (A) is recognized by Sister Cities International; and (B) is operating within the United States. (4) United States community The term United States community 3. Study of sister city partnerships operating within the United States involving foreign communities in countries with significant public sector corruption (a) In general The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study of the activities of sister city partnerships involving foreign communities in countries receiving a score of 45 or less on Transparency International’s 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index. (b) Elements of the study The study conducted under subsection (a) shall— (1) identify— (A) the criteria by which foreign communities identify United States communities as candidates for sister city partnerships, including themes with respect to the prominent economic activities and demographics of such United States communities; (B) the activities conducted within sister city partnerships; (C) the economic and educational outcomes of such activities; (D) the types of information that sister city partnerships make publicly available, including information relating to contracts and activities; (E) the means by which United States communities safeguard freedom of expression within sister city partnerships; and (F) the oversight practices that United States communities implement to mitigate the risks of foreign espionage and economic coercion within sister city partnerships; (2) assess— (A) the extent to which United States communities ensure transparency regarding sister city partnership contracts and activities; (B) the extent to which sister city partnerships involve economic arrangements that make United States communities vulnerable to malign market practices; (C) the extent to which sister city partnerships involve educational arrangements that diminish the freedom of expression; (D) the extent to which sister city partnerships allow foreign nationals to access local commercial, educational, and political institutions; (E) the extent to which foreign communities could use sister city partnerships to realize strategic objectives that do not conduce to the economic and national security interests of the United States; (F) the extent to which sister city partnerships could enable or otherwise contribute to foreign communities’ malign activities globally, including activities relating to human rights abuses and academic and industrial espionage; and (G) the extent to which United States communities seek to mitigate foreign nationals’ potentially inappropriate use of visa programs to participate in activities relating to sister city partnerships; and (3) review— (A) the range of activities conducted within sister city partnerships, including activities relating to cultural exchange and economic development; (B) how such activities differ between sister city partnerships; and (C) best practices to ensure transparency regarding sister city partnerships’ agreements, activities, and employees. (c) Report (1) In general Not later than 6 months after initiating the study required under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that contains the results of such study, including the findings, conclusions, and recommendations (if any) of the study. (2) Form The report required under paragraph (1) may include a classified annex, if necessary.

Summary: Sister City Transparency Act This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of sister city partnerships between U.S. communities and foreign communities in those countries that score below a certain level on a public sector corruption perception index. Elements of the study include assessing the extent to which such partnerships (1) create vulnerabilities to malign market practices, (2) diminish freedom of expression, and (3) allow foreign communities to realize strategic objectives that hinder U.S. economic and national security interests.