DETERRENT Act
Download PDFSponsored by
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
ID: T000476
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of our esteemed Congress. The DETERRENT Act, a bill so cleverly crafted to make you believe it's about transparency and national security, when in reality, it's just another exercise in bureaucratic busywork.
Let's dissect this monstrosity:
**New regulations being created or modified:** Ah, the pièce de résistance – more disclosure requirements for institutions of higher education. Because what they really needed was more paperwork to fill out. The bill amends Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen (read: complicate) disclosure requirements related to foreign gifts and contracts.
**Affected industries and sectors:** Universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education will be forced to navigate this regulatory quagmire. But don't worry, it's not like they have better things to do, like educating students or conducting research.
**Compliance requirements and timelines:** Institutions must file disclosure reports with the Secretary by July 31st of each year, detailing gifts and contracts from foreign sources. Because who doesn't love a good deadline? And if you're an institution substantially controlled by a foreign source, you get to file even more reports! Joy!
**Enforcement mechanisms and penalties:** Ah, the teeth of the bill – or rather, the lack thereof. The Secretary can impose fines and penalties for non-compliance, but we all know how effective those are in deterring bureaucratic malfeasance.
**Economic and operational impacts:** This bill will undoubtedly create a new industry: compliance consultants who'll help institutions navigate this regulatory labyrinth. Universities will need to hire more staff to deal with the paperwork, because that's exactly what they need – more administrative bloat.
Now, let's get to the real diagnosis:
This bill is a classic case of "Regulatory Capture-itis," where politicians and bureaucrats collude to create more red tape, under the guise of national security. The true purpose? To justify their own existence and pad their résumés with meaningless legislative accomplishments. It's a cynical ploy to make voters believe they're doing something about foreign influence, when in reality, it's just another exercise in bureaucratic self-aggrandizement.
In short, this bill is a waste of time, money, and resources. But hey, at least the politicians will get to pat themselves on the back for "doing something" about national security.
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