US Federal House Bill HB6428

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/26/26
• Introduced: 12/4/25
• Refer: 12/4/25
• Report Pass: 3/26/26

Caption

To require the Secretary of State to submit a report on participation in educational and cultural exchange programs.

Summary

HB6428 would require the Secretary of State to submit a recurring report to Congress on participation in educational and cultural exchange programs. The bill expresses a sense of Congress that exchange and study abroad programs are important tools for U.S. national security, diplomacy, and leadership development, and that the United States should strengthen these programs in response to China’s use of similar exchanges to expand its influence. The report would be due within 180 days of enactment and every five years thereafter. It would require country-by-country data on participation in Chinese-sponsored exchange programs and in specified U.S.-funded programs, including Fulbright, the Young African Leaders Initiative, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study, and the Future Leaders Exchange Program. For each covered U.S. program, the report must include funding levels, participant counts, cohort counts, participant origins and ages, and several outcome measures such as changes in views of the United States, democratic values, willingness to recommend the U.S. as a place to study, and understanding of U.S. culture and values. The report must also assess participation trends and the diplomatic and strategic effects of these programs relative to China’s influence.

Impact

The bill would not directly create or fund new exchange programs, but it would impose a new reporting obligation on the Department of State and require the collection and analysis of detailed program data. It would affect the Secretary of State, the Department’s monitoring and evaluation functions, and congressional oversight by directing reports to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The measure could also influence future foreign policy and appropriations decisions by providing Congress with comparative data on U.S. and Chinese soft-power efforts.

Sentiment

The available context suggests strong support in committee, as the bill was ordered reported in the nature of a substitute by a 42-3 vote. The text itself reflects a bipartisan framing around diplomacy, national security, and competition with China, and the sponsors include members from both parties. No committee transcript is available, but the vote indicates broad agreement with the bill’s oversight and strategic objectives.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the bill’s China-focused framing and the breadth of the reporting requirements. Supporters likely view the measure as a needed tool to measure U.S. soft power and improve exchange programs, while any dissent may have centered on the administrative burden, the inclusion of sensitive participant and outcome data, or concerns about using exchange programs primarily as instruments of strategic competition. The 42-3 committee vote indicates these objections were limited rather than widespread.