Sponsors (12)
The bill strengthens national-security oversight by discouraging official ties with listed foreign adversaries and tying federal outreach funding to compliance, at the cost of disrupting local cultural/educational exchanges and narrowing flexibility and funds for international engagement.
Local governments: officials are less likely to form official ties with jurisdictions designated as foreign adversaries, reducing potential foreign influence and security risks.
Taxpayers and local governments: taxpayer-funded liaison/outreach to diplomatic communities is conditioned on compliance with federal standards, increasing oversight and alignment with national security requirements.
Local governments and community partners: required to sever cultural, educational, and economic sister‑city ties within 180 days, disrupting exchanges, programs, and ongoing collaborations.
Local governments: conditioning federal funding on a required certification could lead to reduced resources for diplomatic and international outreach if certification is withheld or contested.
Local governments: relying on the federal "foreign adversary" list may politicize and limit flexibility in forming international partnerships, constraining local decision-making.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits the District of Columbia from forming or keeping Sister City ties with jurisdictions in statutorily defined foreign adversary countries and requires termination within 180 days; conditions certain Federal funds on a compliance certification.
Official title: To prohibit the District of Columbia government from entering into Sister City relationships with jurisdictions located in foreign adversary countries, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 17, 2025 by John Moolenaar · Last progress July 17, 2025
Prohibits the District of Columbia government from entering into or maintaining Sister City relationships with jurisdictions located in countries defined as “foreign adversary countries.” Existing Sister City relationships with those jurisdictions must be terminated by the earlier of the relationship’s termination date or 180 days after enactment. The District must certify compliance as a condition for receiving certain Federal funds for liaison and outreach to diplomatic and international communities.