This bill requires the Department of State to develop a program to combat corruption in countries that receive U.S. aid.

The State Department shall annually report to Congress a tiered list of all countries that receive certain U.S. foreign assistance. The first tier shall contain countries that meet minimum standards for combatting public corruption, while the second tier shall contain countries that do not comply but are making significant efforts to do so. Third-tier countries do not meet the minimum anti-corruption standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

For each second- and third-tier ranked country, the State Department shall (1) include a corruption risk assessment and mitigation strategy in each country's integrated country strategy, and (2) use appropriate anti-corruption mechanisms. Such mechanisms include requiring the disclosure of the beneficial ownership of contractors and partners involved in State Department programs and requiring claw-back provisions to recover misappropriated funds.

The State Department shall designate an anti-corruption point of contact in the U.S. diplomatic post in each second- or third-tier country and where the State Department determines that such a point of contact is necessary. The point of contact shall be responsible for coordinating a whole-of-government approach to enhancing the ability of foreign countries to combat public corruption.

This bill directs the Department of State to take various actions to address foreign public corruption as it relates to U.S. assistance.

The State Department must publish annually a report on each foreign country's efforts to combat public corruption. The report shall group countries into five tiers based on the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicator on Control of Corruption and Worldwide Governance Indicator on Voice and Accountability. The report shall address other factors such as each country's enforcement of any laws that prohibit public corruption.

Before obligating U.S. aid to a country in one of the two lowest tiers, the State Department shall take various actions, such as creating a corruption mitigation strategy and establishing mechanisms for investigating corruption allegations.

The State Department shall establish an interagency task force to (1) assist in managing a whole-of-government effort to promote good governance in foreign countries and enhancing anti-public-corruption efforts, and (2) identify areas where U.S. efforts to combat public corruption can be improved.

The State Department shall appoint an anti-corruption point of contact in each U.S. mission to a foreign country where the State Department determines that such a point of contact is necessary. That point of contact shall be responsible for coordinating a whole-of-government approach to combatting public corruption.

The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development shall incorporate anti-corruption training into Foreign Service and Civil Service training.

The bill imposes and consolidates various corruption-related reporting requirements.

Combating Global Corruption Act of 2019

This bill requires the Department of State to develop a program to combat corruption in foreign countries, in particular in countries that receive U.S. aid.

The State Department shall publish annually a tiered list of all countries. The first tier shall contain countries that meet the bill's prescribed minimum standards for combatting corruption, while the second tier shall contain countries that do not comply but are making efforts to do so. Third-tier countries do not meet the minimum anti-corruption standards and are making little to no effort to comply.

For a third-tier country that receives U.S. foreign aid, the State Department shall conduct corruption risk assessments for all U.S. aid programs in that country. It shall also implement various anti-corruption mechanisms in such programs, such as by requiring the disclosure of the beneficial ownership of contractors and partners involved in an aid program and requiring claw-back provisions to recover funds that are misappropriated by corrupt partners. For future aid programs to such countries, the State Department shall conduct its risk assessment and implement the required anti-corruption mechanisms before agreeing to provide assistance.

The State Department shall report to Congress annually about its anti-corruption efforts and integrate anti-corruption material into its existing training courses.