# H.R. 1048 (119th): Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act or the DETERRENT Act

Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act or the DETERRENT Act This bill expands oversight and disclosure requirements related to foreign sources and institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires an IHE to annually disclose to the Department of Education (ED) any year in which the IHE receives a gift from a foreign country of concern (e.g., China or Russia) or foreign entity of concern of any dollar amount; receives a gift or contract from a foreign source (other than a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern) that is valued at $50,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts or contracts within a calendar year (current disclosure threshold is $250,000 or more), or which has an undetermined monetary value; enters into a contract with a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern after receiving a waiver for such contract; or is substantially controlled by a foreign source. Additionally, the bill prohibits IHEs from entering into contracts with a foreign country of concern or with a foreign entity of concern without obtaining a waiver, requires certain IHEs to disclose gifts or contracts between covered individuals (e.g., researchers) and foreign sources, and requires private IHEs with specified assets or investments to file annual investment disclosure reports. The bill requires ED to investigate possible violations of this bill and outlines the various penalties for each violation. Penalties may include losing eligibility for federal student financial aid.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: foreign_influence. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: higher_education. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: transparency. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: unclear. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: mixed. Only tags the rules mark scoreable on a mixed bill are scored. A yea can draw a penalty or a credit according to the tag. A nay on a tag scored as good can draw a penalty.
Roll 79: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Vote type: amendment.
Roll 80: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Vote type: amendment.
Roll 81: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Vote type: amendment.
Roll 82: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Vote type: amendment.
Roll 83: On Passage. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: The bill directs a legitimate good: transparency about foreign gifts and contracts that could carry adversary influence into American universities, consistent with defending the public interest and honest dealing. It also raises real concerns about administrative burden, the breadth of compulsory disclosure, and the use of federal aid penalties, which are prudential rather than clearly evil. Because it combines a defensible goal with contestable means, it is best classed as mixed rather than good or evil.
Theological note: Scripture does not address this measure directly, but it bears on stewardship of trust, truthful dealing, and the duty of civil authorities to guard institutions against deceit and undue outside control. Its core subject is transparency and accountability in foreign financial relationships, a prudential matter of national security and institutional integrity rather than a direct question of innocent life, sexual corruption, or coercion of conscience. Issue relevance is therefore moderate: honest disclosure serves general equity, while the breadth of compliance burdens and penalties calls for careful prudential judgment.

## Recorded votes

Roll 79: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Yea 199 · Nay 214 · Other 23.
Roll 80: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Yea 92 · Nay 321 · Other 23.
Roll 81: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Yea 3 · Nay 410 · Other 23.
Roll 82: On Agreeing to the Amendment. Yea 4 · Nay 404 · Other 28.
Roll 83: On Passage. Yea 241 · Nay 169 · Other 20.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/hr-1048-119/