Combating Global Corruption Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 385

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-14: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-04-23T08:07:15Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Combating Global Corruption Act of 2025 aims to identify and fight corruption by foreign governments worldwide. It requires the U.S. Department of State to create and publish an annual tiered list ranking countries based on their levels of government corruption and efforts to combat it. The law also mandates evaluations of foreign individuals or entities involved in major corruption for potential sanctions under the existing Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allows the U.S. to impose penalties like asset freezes on human rights abusers and corrupt actors.

Key Provisions

• Definitions:
• Corrupt actor: A foreign government official, entity, or company (with significant ties to such officials) involved in corruption.
• Corruption: Unlawful use of public power for private gain, such as bribery, favoritism toward family (nepotism), fraud, or theft of public funds (embezzlement).
• Significant corruption: High-level government corruption that distorts major decisions (e.g., policies or resource allocation) and involves large-scale activities with economic or social harm.

• Tiered Ranking List:
• Published annually by the Secretary of State on a public website for all foreign countries.
• Tier 1: Countries fully complying with minimum anti-corruption standards (e.g., strong laws, enforcement, and prevention efforts).
• Tier 2: Countries making partial efforts toward compliance but not fully meeting standards.
• Tier 3: Countries showing little to no effort to meet standards.

• Minimum Standards for Anti-Corruption:
• Governments must have laws and structures to prohibit and deter corruption, enforce them through fair trials, impose appropriate punishments, and make ongoing efforts to prevent it.
• Assessment factors include criminalizing corruption, prosecuting officials (including those abroad), public education on corruption risks, support for civil society watchdogs, independent judiciary, international cooperation (e.g., extraditions), victim protections, whistleblower safeguards, asset recovery, financial transparency, and avoiding facilitation of corruption in other countries.
• Compliance with international agreements, such as the UN Convention against Corruption and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, is also considered.

• Sanctions Evaluation:
• The Secretary of State, with the Secretary of the Treasury, must assess foreign persons in Tier 3 countries for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act (e.g., blocking U.S. assets or travel bans).
• Annual reports to Congress listing sanctioned individuals, imposition dates, and reasons; reports can include classified sections or be replaced by briefings if needed for national security.

• Embassy Anti-Corruption Points of Contact:
• Annual designation of a lead official (e.g., ambassador or designee) at U.S. embassies in Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries, or others deemed necessary.
• Responsibilities: Coordinate U.S. government efforts to promote good governance, help countries fight public corruption, and develop tools to assess and reduce corruption risks.
• Required training for these officials.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces a new, structured annual reporting system for global corruption, similar to the U.S. State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report but focused on corruption. It does not amend the Global Magnitsky Act directly but mandates routine evaluations and reporting for sanctions in high-risk (Tier 3) countries, potentially increasing their use. It also formalizes embassy-level anti-corruption coordination, which was previously ad hoc.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The State Department will face increased workload for annual rankings, reports, and training; the Treasury Department will handle more sanctions evaluations. This could enhance inter-agency collaboration on anti-corruption.
• Citizens: U.S. citizens and global citizens may benefit indirectly from reduced international corruption through better foreign governance, safer investments, and stronger rule of law abroad. Victims of corruption in ranked countries could gain leverage via U.S. diplomatic pressure.
• International Relations: Tier rankings could pressure countries to improve anti-corruption efforts, potentially straining ties with Tier 3 nations (e.g., aid reductions or diplomatic isolation). It promotes U.S. leadership in global standards, fostering cooperation with allies on treaties but risking accusations of interference from adversarial governments.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• U.S. Government: Departments of State and Treasury; congressional committees (e.g., Foreign Affairs, Judiciary) receiving reports.
• Foreign Governments: Especially in Tier 2 and 3 countries, facing public scrutiny, potential sanctions, and embassy pressure to reform.
• Corrupt Actors: Foreign officials, entities, and companies at risk of U.S. sanctions, asset freezes, or extradition cooperation.
• Civil Society and Victims: Non-governmental organizations, whistleblowers, and corruption victims who gain support for monitoring, reporting, and protection.
• International Organizations: Bodies like the UN and OECD, whose anti-corruption standards inform U.S. assessments.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens enforcement of international anti-corruption treaties by tying U.S. policy to compliance, potentially enabling more extraterritorial actions (e.g., sanctions on foreign assets). Ensures fair processes by emphasizing independent judiciaries and victim rights.
• Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's foreign affairs powers (Article I, Section 8) and executive authority over sanctions, without infringing on separation of powers; reports to Congress promote oversight.
• Political: Positions the U.S. as a global anti-corruption leader, which could be used as a diplomatic tool (e.g., linking aid to Tier status). May polarize relations, with support from human rights advocates but criticism from countries viewing it as unilateral pressure; no direct impact on U.S. domestic law or elections.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2], Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-14: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-01-14: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-01-14: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-14: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Combating Global Corruption Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-14 — PDF (11 pages)