Sister City Transparency Act

Sponsor: Chip Roy (Republican-TX)May 14, 2026

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

New study would scrutinize sister city partnerships with corrupt countries.

A new bill would require a government study of sister city partnerships. It would focus on ties to foreign communities in countries with high corruption, aiming to inform Congress about their transparency and risks.

What Would Change

Today, there is no specific government study looking into sister city partnerships, especially those with foreign communities in countries known for high corruption. If this bill becomes law, the Comptroller General would be required to conduct such a study, focusing on countries scoring 45 or less on Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index. A report with findings and recommendations would then be sent to Congress within six months.

Key Provisions

Requires the Comptroller General to study sister city partnerships with foreign communities from countries with significant corruption.
Requires the study to identify how foreign communities pick U.S. partners and what activities they do.
Requires the study to identify how much information sister city partnerships make public, including contracts.
Requires the study to assess how U.S. communities protect free speech and prevent foreign spying or economic pressure.
Requires the study to assess if sister city partnerships create economic risks or allow improper access to U.S. institutions.
Requires the Comptroller General to send a report with the study's findings and recommendations to Congress within six months.

View on Congress.gov

HR 8833 · 119th Congress · May 14, 2026 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 9/10

Sister City Transparency Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity