District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act

This bill stops Washington, DC’s government from forming or keeping “sister city” partnerships with places in countries the U.S. considers foreign adversaries. Any current partnerships with those places must end by the date in the agreement or within 180 days after the law takes effect. DC also can’t use federal money for its international outreach unless it certifies it is following this rule.

Key points:

• Who is affected: The DC government and, indirectly, DC residents and community groups that work on sister city activities.
• What changes: No new sister city ties with foreign adversary countries; existing ones must be ended on time. Federal funds for DC’s international outreach are tied to following this rule.
• When: The rule takes effect upon enactment; current partnerships must end by their contract date or within 180 days, whichever comes first.