S 1351119th CongressIn Committee

Sister City Transparency Act

Introduced: Apr 8, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Sister City Transparency Act would require the Comptroller General (GAO) to conduct a formal study of sister city partnerships that involve foreign communities, specifically focusing on partnerships where the foreign country has a low Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index score (45 or less, based on the 2019 index). The study aims to understand how these partnerships are formed, what activities they undertake, and what economic and educational outcomes result from them. It also seeks to evaluate transparency and safeguards related to freedom of expression, as well as oversight measures intended to prevent foreign espionage or economic coercion. The bill instructs the GAO to assess potential risks and to identify best practices for transparency and governance of such partnerships. A report summarizing findings and recommendations would be due within nine months of starting the study, and could include a classified annex if needed.

Key Points

1The bill directs the GAO to study sister city partnerships involving foreign communities from countries with a CPI score of 45 or less (per the 2019 Transparency International index).
2It defines key terms, including appropriate congressional committees, foreign community, sister city partnership, and United States community (state, county, city, or other local government unit).
3The study must identify how foreign communities select US communities for partnerships, what activities occur within partnerships, and the economic and educational outcomes of those activities.
4It must examine what information partnerships publicly disclose (including contracts and activities), how US communities protect freedom of expression, and what oversight is in place to mitigate risks of foreign espionage and economic coercion.
5It must assess transparency of contracts/activities, potential exposure to malign market practices, effects on freedom of expression through educational arrangements, access for foreign nationals to local institutions, alignment with US economic/national security interests, and risks of harmful global activities or misuse of visa programs; it should also review the range and differences of activities, and identify best practices for transparency.
6A final report to the appropriate congressional committees is due within 9 months of initiation, and may include a classified annex if necessary.

Impact Areas

Primary: United States communities (states, counties, cities, and other local government units) that participate in or manage sister city partnerships with foreign communities.Secondary: Foreign communities in countries with low perceived corruption (as defined by the CPI threshold) that engage in these partnerships, and the organizations that facilitate them.Additional impacts: Increased government oversight and transparency requirements for sister city partnerships could influence how such partnerships are formed and disclosed, affect policy considerations around national security and foreign influence, and potentially shape practices of cultural and educational exchanges facilitated through these partnerships.

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