HR5114-119

What This Bill Does

The No Foreign Fundraising at United States Embassies Act declares that U.S. diplomatic resources should stay politically neutral in foreign elections. It distinguishes normal diplomatic engagement with a range of foreign political parties from using embassy, consulate, diplomatic-post, or ambassador-residence grounds to raise money for a foreign political party or candidate. Section 3 prohibits federal funds and the personal funds of U.S. ambassadors or other U.S. officials from being obligated or spent to host fundraising events for or on behalf of foreign political parties or candidates at U.S. embassies, consulates, diplomatic posts, or ambassador residences. A fundraising event includes an event intended to raise funds or knowingly facilitate donor contact. The bill amends the Foreign Service Act and State Department Basic Authorities Act to bar official reception spending for those events, directs the Secretary of State to revise the DSSR and FAM to prohibit such use, reflect expenditure bans, and discourage activity that could promote one foreign party or candidate's financial interest over others, and requires certification to the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees within at least 90 days after enactment that the revisions are complete.

Who Benefits and How

U.S. diplomatic neutrality benefits because embassy and consulate resources cannot be used for foreign party fundraising. Foreign opposition parties benefit when U.S. posts cannot confer fundraising advantages on a favored foreign party or candidate. Congressional foreign affairs committees benefit from a certification requirement that State Department rules were revised. Career Foreign Service officers benefit from clearer DSSR and FAM rules separating diplomatic engagement from fundraising.

Who Bears the Burden and How

U.S. ambassadors must avoid using personal funds or residences to host covered foreign political fundraising events. State Department management staff must update the DSSR, FAM, reception-expense rules, and certification processes. Foreign political parties lose access to U.S. diplomatic posts as fundraising venues. U.S. officials abroad must screen events to avoid knowingly facilitating donor contact for foreign candidates or parties.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits federal funds and U.S. official personal funds from hosting foreign political fundraising events at U.S. diplomatic posts.
• Defines fundraising events to include raising funds or knowingly facilitating donor contact.
• Amends Foreign Service Act reception-expense authority and State Department Basic Authorities Act functions language.
• Requires DSSR and FAM revisions to prohibit fundraising use and discourage apparent foreign-party favoritism.
• Requires State Department certification to congressional foreign affairs committees after rule revisions.