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International cooperation

House Committee Introduces Bill to Sever D.C. Sister City Ties with Adversarial Countries

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act, introduced by Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, and other House members, aims to safeguard the U.S. capital from foreign influence by prohibiting D.C. from entering or maintaining sister city relationships with jurisdictions in foreign adversary countries. This move comes after Chairman Moolenaar sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser urging her to end the city's sister city relationship with Beijing. The bill defines foreign adversary countries as those listed under U.S. law (10 U.S.C. Sec. 4872) and requires the city to terminate existing relationships within 180 days.

Key Takeaways:

  • The District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act is a bill aimed at protecting the U.S. capital from foreign influence by prohibiting D.C. from entering or maintaining sister city relationships with jurisdictions in foreign adversary countries.
  • The bill defines foreign adversary countries as those listed under U.S. law (10 U.S.C. Sec. 4872) and requires the city to terminate existing relationships within 180 days.
  • Chairman John Moolenaar sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser urging her to end the city's sister city relationship with Beijing, citing worsening human rights conditions in China.
  • The bill would bar the city from using federal funds for international outreach unless in full compliance with the requirements.
  • The bill reinforces the importance of protecting the status of Washington, D.C. as a strategic location for diplomatic activity.

Statistics:

  • 180 days is the timeframe given to the city to terminate existing Sister City relationships with foreign adversary countries.
  • 10 U.S.C. Sec. 4872 is the section of U.S. law that defines foreign adversary countries.

Sources:

[1] House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party

[2] Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party

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