US SB1351

Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to conduct a study evaluating sister city partnerships between U.S. communities and foreign communities in countries scoring 45 or below on Transparency International's 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index

Requires the study to identify how foreign communities select U.S. partners, what activities occur within partnerships, economic and educational outcomes, and oversight practices to mitigate espionage and economic coercion risks

Mandates assessment of transparency in partnership contracts, vulnerability to malign market practices, threats to freedom of expression, and potential misuse of visa programs by foreign nationals

Requires GAO to submit a report to six congressional committees (Foreign Relations, Armed Services, and education/labor committees in both chambers) within 9 months of initiating the study, with an optional classified annex

Introduced April 8, 2025 by Senator Blackburn (R-TN) with Senator Tillis (R-NC) as cosponsor; referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations