H.R. 4519: District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act

The District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act is legislation that aims to restrict the District of Columbia from entering into Sister City relationships with jurisdictions in countries deemed as foreign adversaries. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill entails:

Short Title

The Act is formally referred to as the "District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act."

Prohibition on Sister City Relationships

The core provision of the bill includes:

• General Prohibition: The government of the District of Columbia is prohibited from establishing any Sister City relationships with jurisdictions located in foreign adversary countries.
• Definition of foreign adversary country: The term "foreign adversary country" aligns with the definition given in section 4872(f)(2) of title 10 of the United States Code, which identifies nations considered adversarial to the interests of the United States.

Treatment of Existing Relationships

If the District of Columbia currently has any Sister City partnerships with jurisdictions in foreign adversary countries, the bill mandates that those relationships must be terminated. The termination should occur no later than:

• The date specified in the existing agreement.
• 180 days after the Act is enacted.

Loss of Federal Funding

The bill also stipulates that the District of Columbia cannot use any Federal funds for providing liaison and outreach services to diplomatic and international communities unless it certifies compliance with the provisions of this Act to the President.

Conclusion

The legislation aims to reinforce certain foreign policy positions by limiting the District’s ability to engage with specific foreign jurisdictions, ensuring that existing relationships with nations classified as adversarial are terminated, and promoting accountability regarding the use of federal funds.

Relevant Companies

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