House Republican cracks down on foreign cash funneled into US nonprofits

FIRST ON FOX: A new House Republican-led bill aims to crack down on the flow of foreign money to U.S.-based think tanks and charities.

Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital that he’s introducing the “Think Tank and Nonprofit Foreign Influence Disclosure Act” to increase awareness of where those groups get their cash from and whether foreign governments could be using them to promote views hostile to U.S. interests.

“We must pull back the curtain on foreign entities that seek to shape U.S. policy and public opinion through covert funding,” Gooden said.

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A new bill by Rep. Lance Gooden aims to crack down on the flow of foreign money to U.S.-based think tanks and charities. (Getty Images)

“This legislation is a necessary measure to shed light on the unreported financing behind the research organizations and nonprofits shaping our foreign policy.”

Under his legislation, donations and other contributions to nonprofits made by other governments or political parties have to be publicly disclosed if the value exceeds $50,000.

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China has been accused of trying to wage a foreign influence campaign in the U.S. through think tanks and cultural institutions. (Jack Taylor/Pool Photo via AP)

“Foreign governments and foreign political parties attempt to influence the government and political system of the United States through donations to nonprofit charitable organizations, especially think tanks and cultural organizations,” reads the bill text, obtained by Fox News Digital.

“While institutions of higher learning are required to disclose foreign gifts to the Department of Education pursuant to the Higher Education Act, no such requirement exists for think tanks.”

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Under the Trump administration, the State Department urged think tanks that it engaged with to prominently disclose their sources of funding.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tightened transparency provisions around think tank donations. (David McNew)

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“We welcome diverse views when doing so. We are mindful, however, that some foreign governments, such as those of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Russian Federation, seek to exert influence over U.S. foreign policy through lobbyists, external experts, and think tanks,” then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in October 2020.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden administration to find out whether the policy is still active under the Biden administration but has not heard back.