A bipartisan pair of senators wants to make it easier to spot foreign influence in Pentagon contracts.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are introducing legislation on Monday that would direct all prospective defense contractors and subcontractors to disclose information on their beneficial owners, and whether any of them are foreigners, according to details shared first with Semafor.
The measure, which the pair wants to add to annual defense policy legislation, would also require contractors or subcontractors working with the Pentagon on contracts larger than $500,000 to disclose whether they are under foreign ownership, control, or influence — lowering the current bar of $5 million.
“Transparency brings accountability, and that includes shining a light on foreign influence in Defense Department contracts,” Grassley said. Warren called the proposal “commonsense, bipartisan reform to ensure that the Pentagon knows who it is doing business with.”
The Pentagon declined to comment on the proposed legislation.