[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7025 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7025
To amend title 5, United States Code, to require the implementation of
evidence-based practices with respect to certain Federal grants, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 13, 2026
Mr. Yakym (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Timmons, Ms.
Ross, and Mr. Moore of Utah) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to require the implementation of
evidence-based practices with respect to certain Federal grants, 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 ``Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES WITH RESPECT
TO CERTAIN FEDERAL GRANTS.
(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 3 of title 5, United
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 315 the following:
``Sec. 316. Requirement to implement evidence-based practices with
respect to certain Federal grants
``(a) Requirements.--The head of a covered agency shall, with
respect to each covered grant of the agency--
``(1) include in any notice of funding opportunity, request
for proposals, or announcement with respect to the grant a
clearly defined purpose for the grant, including clearly
defined intended outcomes for the use of any funds provided
under the grant;
``(2) prioritize awarding the covered grant--
``(A) to applicants that have--
``(i) implemented practices that are
evidence-based; and
``(ii) demonstrated in the application for
the grant that the applicant will use the
funding for such practices to achieve results
compatible with the purpose for the grant (as
defined in the notice of funding opportunity,
request for proposal, and or announcement for
the grant);
``(B) to applicants--
``(i) that submit applications that are
responsive to community needs; and
``(ii) from organizations located in or
representative of the community in which the
grant seeks to serve; and
``(C) in accordance section 200.202 of title 2,
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulation);
``(3) require recipients of a covered grant to use
practices that are evidenced-based in providing any services to
the public or a specific community using funds provided under
such grant; and
``(4) acting through the Evaluation officer of the agency--
``(A) in accordance with subsection (b), conduct
periodic evaluations that are evidence-based during the
term of the covered grant to determine, with respect
each activity carried out using funds provided under
the covered grant, whether such funds are being used
effectively to achieve the intended outcomes for the
use of funds provided under the grant (as defined in
the notice of funding opportunity, requests for
proposal, or announcement for the grant);
``(B) establish a process by which such evaluations
are to be conducted;
``(C) make the results of such evaluations
available to the public; and
``(D) use such results to inform decision making in
the development of future notices of funding
opportunity, requests for proposal, or announcements
for the grant.
``(b) Evaluation.--In carrying out each evaluation required by
subsection (a)(3), each Evaluation officer shall adhere to Federal
program evaluation standards, including by using the different types of
evaluation, such as impact, outcome, process or implementation, and
formative evaluation, in carrying out such evaluation.
``(c) Agency Report to Congress.--The head of each covered agency
shall submit an annual report to Congress on the activities carried out
by the head of each covered agency under this section.
``(d) Technical Assistance.--The head of each covered agency may
provide technical assistance to recipients of grants of the agency in
carrying out any requirement established pursuant to this section.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered agency.--The term `covered agency' means the
following:
``(A) Department of Agriculture.
``(B) Department of Commerce.
``(C) Department of Education.
``(D) Department of Energy.
``(E) Department of Health and Human Services.
``(F) Department of Homeland Security.
``(G) Department of Housing and Urban Development.
``(H) Department of the Interior.
``(I) Department of Justice.
``(J) Department of Labor.
``(K) Department of Transportation.
``(L) Department of the Treasury.
``(M) Department of Veterans Affairs.
``(N) The Environmental Protection Agency.
``(O) The Small Business Administration.
``(2) Covered grant.--The term `covered grant' means a
grant made by the head of the covered agency for the purpose of
the recipient of such grant providing a service to the public
or specific community using the funds provided under such
grant.
``(3) Federal program evaluation standards.--The term
`Federal program evaluation standards' means standards and
practices described in the Office of Management and Budget
Memorandum M-20-12 (relating to the implementation of the
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 and
Program Evaluation Standards and Practices).''.
(b) Definition and Application of the Term ``Evidence-Based''.--
(1) OMB guidance.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall
issue to the heads of covered agencies guidance on how
to define and apply the term ``evidence-based'' for the
purpose of implementing section 316 of title 5, United
States Code (as added by subsection (a)).
(B) Contents.--The guidance issued by the Director
under subparagraph (A) shall provide the head of each
such agency the flexibility to define or apply the term
``evidence-based'' in a manner--
(i) that aligns with the mission and
programs of the agency; and
(ii) consistent with Federal program
evaluation standards.
(2) Agency guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the
Director issues the guidance required by paragraph (1), the
head of each covered agency, acting through the Evaluation
officer of the agency, shall--
(A) define the term ``evidence-based'' for the
purposes of implementing section 316 of title 5, United
States Code, with respect to the covered grants of the
agency--
(i) in accordance with such guidance;
(ii) in a manner consistent with Federal
program evaluation standards;
(iii) after publishing a notice in the
Federal Register that includes--
(I) a proposed definition of such
term; and
(II) a description of how the
community engagement practices,
evidence-based standards, and
evaluation requirements of such section
will be applied by the agency to such
grants; and
(iv) after providing an opportunity for
public comment regarding such proposed
definition, not later than the date that is 60
days after the publication of the notice
required by clause (iii);
(B) establish a framework for identifying
applicants proposing to implement practices that are
evidence-based, for the purpose of prioritizing the
award of covered grants to such applicants in
accordance with section 316(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United
States Code; and
(C) make such definition and framework available to
the public.
(3) Implementation.--Beginning on the date that is 5 years
after the date of the enactment of this section, the head of
each agency shall implement the framework established by the
head of the agency under paragraph (2)(B) with respect to each
covered grant of the agency.
(c) Application.--Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the
head of a covered agency makes the definition required by subsection
(b)(2)(A) for that agency available to the public in accordance with
such subsection, section 316 of title 5, United States Code, shall
apply to each covered grant of the agency, where practicable.
(d) Reports.--
(1) Initial implementation report to omb.--Not later than
180 days after the head of a covered agency makes the
definition and framework required by subsection (b)(2)(B)
available to the public in accordance with such subsection, the
head of the agency shall submit to the Director a report on how
the head will implement the requirements of section 316 of
title 5, United States Code, with respect to the covered grants
for the agency that includes an initial list of covered grants
with respect to which the head of the agency will be
implementing the framework.
(2) Initial implementation report to congress.--Beginning
on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this Act, and each year thereafter until the date that is 5
years after the date of such enactment, the Director of OMB
shall submit an annual report to Congress on the progress of
implementing the provisions of this Act that includes, with
respect to the year preceding the report--
(A) progress on--
(i) defining the term ``evidence-based''
for the purposes of implementing section 316 of
title 5, United States Code, with respect to
the covered grants; and
(ii) implementing evidence-based practices
with respect to the covered grants included on
the list required by paragraph (1);
(B) comprehensive details on how the head of each
covered agency is defining, integrating, and
implementing the framework required by subsection
(b)(2)(B) for the covered grants of the agency; and
(C) an assessment of whether the heads of covered
agencies are implementing the provisions of this Act,
and the amendments made by this Act, in similar or
divergent manners, and any recommendations on where
greater alignment in such implementation may improve or
streamline the application process for persons seeking
multiple grants.
(3) Annual omb report.--Beginning on the date that is one
year after the framework required by subsection (b)(2)(B) has
begun to be implemented by the heads of covered agencies, and
each year thereafter, the Director of OMB shall submit a report
to Congress on the extent to which the head of covered agencies
have used such framework in awarding grants, including--
(A) the number of covered grants with respect to
which the head has used such framework; and
(B) select examples of grants of the covered agency
with respect to which the head of the covered agency
has successfully used such framework to select the
recipients of such grant.
(4) Future grantmaking.--Not later than 1 year after the
head of a covered agency has begun to implement the framework
established by the head of the agency in accordance with
subsection (b)(2)(B), the head of such agency shall submit to
the Director a comprehensive report that--
(A) identifies best practices for future
grantmaking by the agency; and
(B) makes recommendations for future improvements
to the strategies the agency uses to evaluate grants
under section 316(a)(3) of title 5, United States Code,
to enhance the impact of Federal grant investments.
(e) Definitions.--In this Act, the terms ``covered agency'',
``covered grant'', and ``Federal program evaluation standards'' have
the meaning given such terms in section 316 of title 5, United States
Code, as added by subsection (a).
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