H.R. 9602 — Less Bureaucracy, Better International Foreign Gift Transparency Act

This section transfers to the Secretary of State all functions that the Secretary of Education previously exercised under section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 regarding disclosure of foreign gifts by institutions of higher education.

This section authorizes the Secretary of State to exercise all authorities previously available to the Secretary of Education for performing functions under section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

This section transfers to the Department of State all personnel, assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations connected to functions transferred under this Act. Unexpended funds must be used only for their originally authorized and appropriated purposes.

This section requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to ensure the Act produces no net increase in full-time equivalent employees at affected Federal agencies, measured from the date of enactment. It authorizes the Director to determine which functions transfer and to make incidental dispositions of personnel, assets, liabilities, contracts, property, and unexpended balances, and directs the Director to certify compliance to the House Committee on Education and Workforce and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on the Act's effective date.

This section authorizes the Secretary of State to delegate any functions transferred under this Act to designated officers and employees, with successive redelegations permitted as needed. The Secretary remains responsible for administration of all delegated functions.

This section directs that references to the Secretary of Education or the Department of Education in any Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, delegation of authority, or related document be deemed to refer to the Secretary of State or the Department of State, respectively, for functions transferred under section 2.

This section continues in effect all orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, agreements, certificates, licenses, and privileges issued before the transfer of functions from the Department of Education to the Department of State. It requires pending proceedings and suits to continue as if the transfer had not occurred, with the Secretary of State substituted as the party in any ongoing litigation.

This section authorizes the Secretary of State, beginning on the date of enactment, to use Department of Education personnel, assets, and appropriated funds for functions transferred under the Act, for the period reasonably needed to facilitate orderly implementation.

This section provides that the Act and its amendments take effect 6 months after the date of enactment, except as provided in section 9. It permits transfers of functions under section 2 or other provisions to begin on the date of enactment but no later than the effective date.