# Plain Language Summary: Think Tank and Nonprofit Foreign Influence Disclosure Act

This bill requires tax-exempt charitable organizations—particularly think tanks, research institutions, and cultural groups—to publicly report when they receive donations from foreign governments or foreign political parties. Right now, universities have to disclose foreign gifts to the Department of Education, but think tanks and similar nonprofits don't have to tell anyone about money they receive from abroad. This bill closes that gap by requiring these organizations to report any foreign donations totaling more than $50,000 per year from a single foreign government or political party.

The bill's main concern is that foreign governments, especially China, use donations to influence American policy discussions and shape how Americans think about their countries. The bill points to examples of major think tanks like Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment, and others that have received funding from Chinese sources. Supporters worry this money could be used to subtly push certain viewpoints or discourage criticism of foreign governments. By making these donations public, the bill aims to let Americans know who's funding the organizations that influence policy debates.

When the bill takes effect, the IRS would create a searchable public database showing which nonprofits received foreign money, how much they got, and which countries or parties gave it. This means citizens, journalists, and policymakers could look up whether their favorite think tank is receiving foreign funding. The bill specifically highlights donations from China and the Chinese Communist Party, requiring those to be tracked separately. Organizations would need to report this information starting with their next tax filings after the bill becomes law.

Think Tank and Nonprofit Foreign Influence Disclosure Act

Gooden, Lance

Think Tank and Nonprofit Foreign Influence Disclosure Act This bill requires tax-exempt charitable organizations to disclose in annual reports contributions and gifts exceeding $50,000 received from foreign governments and foreign political parties. The reports must disclose the names of such governments and political parties and the aggregate amounts of contributions and gifts. The bill requires the Department of the Treasury to make publicly available in a searchable database information relating to such gifts and contributions received from foreign governments and political parties and the aggregate amount received in each year from the the People's Republic of China, and (stated separately) from the Chinese Communist Party.