[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8597 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8597
To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, the Duncan Hunter National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, the
Financial Stability Act of 2010, and the Federal Funding Accountability
and Transparency Act of 2006 to improve access to information in the
legislative and executive branches of the Government, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 3, 2024
Mr. Quigley (for himself and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability,
and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, the
Judiciary, Ethics, Financial Services, and Rules, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, the
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946, the Duncan Hunter National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, the
Financial Stability Act of 2010, and the Federal Funding Accountability
and Transparency Act of 2006 to improve access to information in the
legislative and executive branches of the Government, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Transparency in Government Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I--IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES
Sec. 101. Greater disclosure and electronic filing of personal
financial information.
Sec. 102. Greater disclosure of travel reports.
Sec. 103. Greater disclosure of gift reports.
Sec. 104. Greater disclosure of earmarks.
Sec. 105. GAO study and report on effects of written requests by
members of Congress for funding of
projects.
TITLE II--ENHANCING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE WORK OF CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES, LEGISLATION, AND VOTES
Sec. 201. Increased transparency of committee work.
Sec. 202. Increased transparency of recorded votes.
Sec. 203. Electronic format.
Sec. 205. Use of data standards by congressional support offices.
Sec. 206. Inclusion of digital version of funding tables in reports
accompanying appropriations bills.
Sec. 207. Select committee on the modernization of congress.
Sec. 208. Expanded information in house staff directory.
TITLE III--EXPANDING ACCESS TO CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE REPORTS
ON LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WEBSITE
Sec. 301. Inclusion of reports from archive.
Sec. 302. Availability of reports in structured format.
Sec. 303. Report on making other materials available.
Sec. 304. Effective date.
TITLE IV--LOBBYING DISCLOSURE
Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. Modifications to enforcement.
Sec. 403. Definition of lobbyist.
Sec. 404. Expedited online registration of lobbyists; thresholds for
certain organizations whose employees are
lobbyists.
Sec. 405. Disclosure of political contributions.
Sec. 406. Identification numbers for lobbyists.
Sec. 407. Ethics training for lobbyists.
Sec. 408. Repeal of exemption of reporting lobbying contacts reported
under Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Sec. 409. Repeal of use of estimates based on tax reporting system.
TITLE V--TRANSPARENCY IN FEDERAL AWARDS
Sec. 501. Improving application programming interface and website data
elements.
Sec. 502. Improving data quality.
Sec. 503. Requirements relating to reporting of award data.
Sec. 504. Recipient performance transparency.
Sec. 505. Improvement of responsibility/qualification information.
Sec. 506. Federal contractor compliance.
Sec. 507. Improving access to information disclosed on lobbying
activities.
Sec. 508. Inclusion of narratives on USASpending.gov.
Sec. 509. Suspension and debarment database.
TITLE VI--EXECUTIVE BRANCH TRANSPARENCY
Subtitle A--Public Availability of Information
Sec. 601. Agency defined.
Sec. 602. Requirement for disclosure of Federal sponsorship of all
Federal advertising or other
communications.
Sec. 603. Improving access to influential executive branch official's
visitor access records.
Sec. 604. Improving rulemaking disclosure for the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs.
Sec. 605. Improving registration information from agents of foreign
principals.
Sec. 606. Government-wide entity identifier.
Sec. 607. Grants transparency requirements.
Subtitle B--Publication of Opinions of Office of Legal Counsel
Sec. 611. Short title.
Sec. 612. Schedule of publication for final OLC opinions.
Sec. 613. Exceptions and limitation on public availability of final OLC
opinions.
Sec. 614. Method of publication.
Sec. 615. Index of opinions.
Sec. 616. Private right of action.
Sec. 617. Severability.
Sec. 618. Definitions.
Subtitle C--Contempt of Congress Procedures and Enforcement
Sec. 621. Availability of civil action to enforce House of
Representatives subpoenas.
Sec. 622. Alternate procedures for enforcement of criminal contempt of
Congress.
Sec. 623. Increase in penalty for contempt of Congress.
Sec. 624. Authority of United States Capitol Police to enforce
citations.
Sec. 625. Collection of penalties imposed by the House of
Representatives on persons cited for
contempt of House.
Sec. 626. No effect of expiration of Congress on pending actions.
Subtitle D--Promoting Accountability and Security in Transitions
Sec. 631. Short title.
Sec. 632. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 633. Definitions.
Sec. 634. Management and custody of Presidential records.
Sec. 635. Restrictions on access to Presidential records.
Sec. 636. Exceptions to restricted access.
Sec. 637. Regulations.
Sec. 638. Disclosure requirement for official business conducted using
non-official electronic messaging accounts.
Sec. 639. Presidential Transition Act of 1963.
Sec. 640. Former Presidents.
Sec. 641. Presidential archival depository.
TITLE VII--STRENGTHENING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
Sec. 701. Digital access to records made available under the Freedom of
Information Act.
Sec. 702. Freedom of Information Act Amendments.
Sec. 703. Other matters.
TITLE VIII--IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY WITHIN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Sec. 801. Televising Supreme Court proceedings.
Sec. 802. Audio recording of Supreme Court proceedings.
Sec. 803. Availability on the internet of financial disclosure reports
of judicial officers.
Sec. 804. GAO audit of pacer.
Sec. 805. Electronic court records reform.
TITLE IX--ENFORCEMENT
Sec. 901. Report by the Government Accountability Office.
TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 1001. Transfer of certain records to archivist of United States.
Sec. 1002. Data standards.
TITLE I--IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES
SEC. 101. GREATER DISCLOSURE AND ELECTRONIC FILING OF PERSONAL
FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
(a) Additional Financial Disclosure Requirements.--(1) Section
102(a)(1)(B) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.
102(a)(1)(B)) is amended in clause (iv) by striking ``$15,000'' and
inserting ``$25,000'' and by striking clauses (v) through (ix) and
inserting the following new clauses:
``(v) greater than $25,000 but not more
than $100,000, rounded to the nearest $10,000,
``(vi) greater than $100,000 but not more
than $1,000,000, rounded to the nearest
$100,000, or
``(vii) greater than $1,000,000, rounded to
the nearest $1,000,000.''.
(2) Section 102(d)(1) of such Act (5 U.S.C. App. 102(d)(1)) is
amended by striking ``(3), (4), (5), and (8)'' and inserting ``(5) and
(8)''.
(3) Section 102(d) of such Act (5 U.S.C. App. 102(d)) is amended by
redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3) and by inserting after
paragraph (1) the following new paragraph:
``(2) The categories for reporting the amount or value of
the items covered in paragraphs (3) or (4) of subsection (a)
are as follows:
``(A) Not more than $15,000.
``(B) Greater than $15,000 but not more than
$25,000.
``(C) Greater than $25,000 but not more than
$100,000, rounded to the nearest $10,000.
``(D) Greater than $100,000 but not more than
$1,000,000, rounded to the nearest $100,000.
``(E) Greater than $1,000,000, rounded to the
nearest $1,000,000.''.
(b) More Frequent Disclosure of Financial Transactions Involving
Large Sums of Money.--
(1) Section 101 of such Act (5 U.S.C. App. 101) is amended
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(j) In addition to any other report required to be filed by a
Member of Congress or officer or employee of the Congress, each such
individual is required to file a quarterly report on April 30, July 30,
October 30, and January 30 of each year covering the preceding calendar
quarter if that individual (or the spouse or any dependent child of
that individual) purchased, sold, or exchanged any property described
in subsection (a)(5) valued at not less than $250,000 during that
calendar quarter. For any such transaction of not less than $250,000,
such report shall contain all of the information required under
subsection (a)(5).''.
(2)(A) Clause 1 of rule XXVI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives is amended by inserting ``(a)'' after ``1.''
and by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(b) If any report is filed with the Clerk for a calendar quarter
pursuant to section 101(i) of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, the
Clerk shall compile all such reports sent to the Clerk by Members and
have them printed as a House document, which shall be made available to
the public, as soon as practicable.
``(c) Each individual required to file a report with the Clerk
under title I under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 shall file and
maintain such report in electronic form.''.
(B) Comparable language to be added by the Senate.
(c) Availability on the Internet of Reports Filed Under This Title
With the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate.--Section
103 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App. 103) is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(m) The Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary
of the Senate shall each make available any report filed with them
under this title (whether the report is filed in paper or electronic
form) within 48 hours of the applicable submission deadline on the
website of the Clerk or the Secretary, as applicable, in a searchable,
sortable, downloadable, machine-readable format.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to reports filed for calendar years or calendar quarters
beginning after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 102. GREATER DISCLOSURE OF TRAVEL REPORTS.
(a) Foreign Travel.--Clause 8(b)(3) of rule X of the Rules of the
House of Representatives is amended by adding at the end the following
new sentence: ``Within 48 hours after any such report is filed with the
chair of a committee, the chair shall post the report on the Internet
site of the committee in a searchable, sortable, downloadable, machine-
readable format.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
apply to travel commencing after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 103. GREATER DISCLOSURE OF GIFT REPORTS.
(a) Requiring Clerk of the House To Post Reports on Internet Not
Later Than 48 Hours After Receipt.--(1) Clause 5(b)(5) of rule XXV of
the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended--
(A) by striking ``shall make available'' and inserting
``shall post on the public Internet site of the Clerk and
otherwise make available''; and
(B) by striking ``as possible'' and inserting the
following: ``as possible, but in no event later than 48
hours,''.
(2) Comparable language to be added by the Senate.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall
apply with respect to reports filed on or after the date of the
adoption of this resolution.
SEC. 104. GREATER DISCLOSURE OF EARMARKS.
(a) Electronic Disclosure by Members.--(1) Rule XXIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives is amended by redesignating clause 22
as clause 23 and by inserting after clause 21 the following:
``22. A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who requests a
congressional earmark, a limited tax benefit, or a limited tariff
benefit shall, within 24 hours after making such request--
``(1) post on his or her public website for the remainder
of the Congress the following--
``(A) the name and address of the intended
recipient;
``(B) whether the intended recipient is a for-
profit or not-for-profit entity;
``(C) the requested amount (only in the case of
congressional earmarks); and
``(D) an explanation of the request, including the
purpose, and why it is a valuable use of taxpayer
funds;
``(2) electronically submit to the committee of subject-
matter jurisdiction the webpage address where such information
is posted;
``(3) identify each request as having been submitted to the
committee of subject-matter jurisdiction; and
``(4) display on the homepage of such website a hypertext
link that contains the words `Earmarks', `Appropriations
Requests', `Limited Tax Benefits', or `Limited Tariff Benefits'
and that directs to such webpage address, and maintain that
link for at least 30 calendar days after the last such request
is made during the Congress.''.
(2) The last sentence of clause 16 of rule XXIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives is amended by striking ``and clause 17''
and inserting ``, clause 17, and clause 22''.
(b) Electronic Disclosure by Committees.--Rule XI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives is amended by adding at the end the
following new clause:
``Earmark disclosure websites
``(a) Any committee that accepts any request of a Member, Delegate,
or Resident Commissioner for a congressional earmark, a limited tax
benefit, or a limited tariff benefit shall maintain a public website
with an earmark disclosure webpage that contains the following for each
such request--
``(1) the bill name;
``(2) the name, State, and district of that individual;
``(3) the name and address of the intended recipient;
``(4) whether the intended recipient is a for-profit or
not-for-profit entity;
``(5) the requested amount (only in the case of
congressional earmarks);
``(6) a brief description; and
``(7) the applicable department or agency of the
Government, and the account or program (if provided to the
committee in the request);
and
``is in a downloadable format that is searchable and
sortable by such characteristics.
``(b) Any written statement received by a committee under clause
17(a) of rule XXIII shall be posted on the earmark disclosure webpage
of the committee.
``(c) The earmark disclosure webpage of a committee shall list the
names of any Member, Delegate, and Resident Commissioner who requests a
congressional earmark, a limited tax benefit, or a limited tariff
benefit and link directly to their webpage addresses referred to in
clause 18(2) of rule XXIII.
``(d) The earmark disclosure webpage of a committee shall post the
information required under paragraphs (a) through (c) within one week
of receipt, and shall maintain that information on that webpage for the
remainder of the Congress.
``(e) For purposes of this clause, the terms `congressional
earmark', `limited tax benefit', and `limited tariff benefit' shall
have the meaning given them in clause 9 of rule XXI.''.
(c) Point of Order.--Clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House
of Representatives is amended by redesignating paragraphs (e), (f), and
(g) as paragraphs (f), (g), and (h), respectively, and by inserting
after paragraph (d) the following:
``(e) It shall not be in order to consider any bill or joint
resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
carries a congressional earmark, limited tax benefit, or limited tariff
benefit for which a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner failed
to comply with any applicable requirement of clause 18 of rule
XXIII.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to requests for congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, and
limited tariff benefits made after the date this resolution is agreed
to.
(e) Centralized Database for Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and
Limited Tariff Benefits.--(1) The Clerk of the House of
Representatives, the Secretary of the Senate, and the chairs of the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Senate shall collaborate to create one centralized database where all
requests for earmark, limited tax benefits, and limited tariff benefits
are available on the Internet in a searchable, sortable, downloadable
format to the public. The data available to the public for each earmark
should include--
(A) an identification of the bill into which the earmark is
to be inserted;
(B) the name, State, and district of the Member of Congress
requesting the earmark;
(C) the name and