# What This House Resolution Actually Does

This resolution changes the rules for how Congress handles witnesses who testify before House committees. Specifically, it requires private citizens, business leaders, academics, and other non-government witnesses to disclose financial ties to the U.S. government and foreign governments before they testify. The goal is to let lawmakers and the public know if a witness might have financial reasons to favor certain positions.

Here's what witnesses would need to disclose: any federal grants or contracts they or their organizations received in the past three years, any payments from foreign governments or foreign companies in the past three years (if over $5,000 in the last year), whether they hold leadership positions at organizations funded by foreign governments, any pending contracts they've applied for with foreign governments, and any current contracts to provide consulting or advisory services to foreign governments or to companies controlled by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or Venezuela. Essentially, Congress wants to know about money flowing in from these sources so members can evaluate whether a witness's testimony might be influenced by financial interests.

The resolution also creates a penalty for witnesses who intentionally lie or refuse to provide this information. If a committee determines a witness knowingly and willfully failed to disclose these financial ties truthfully, that person can be banned from testifying before that committee for three years. This applies to any witness appearing after the resolution takes effect, making it an ongoing requirement rather than a one-time rule change.

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to require a witness who appears before any committee of the House of Representatives in a nongovernmental capacity to disclose certain amounts received from the Federal Government or a foreign government or certain foreign entities, and for other purposes.

Banks, Jim

 <p>This resolution modifies requirements for written statements required of nongovernmental witnesses who appear before standing committees of the House of Representatives. Specifically, the resolution eliminates a requirement that a witness disclose whether they are a fiduciary of an organization or entity that has an interest in the subject matter of the hearing, in favor of a requirement that they disclose whether they are a fiduciary of an entity that has received payments from a specified foreign entity. The resolution also requires nongovernmental witnesses to disclose in their written statement certain contracts with specified foreign persons or entities.</p> <p>If the committee determines that a witness knowingly and willfully failed to truthfully comply with such disclosure requirements, the witness is prohibited from testifying before the committee for three years. </p>