One Bill, One Subject Transparency Act

1/31/2025, 11:08 AM
Congress
119

Number
HR - 95

Introduced on
2025-01-03

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

1/3/2025

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

One Bill, One Subject Transparency Act

This bill prohibits any bill or joint resolution from addressing more than one subject and establishes related enforcement mechanisms.

The bill requires bills and joint resolutions to address only one subject, which must be clearly and descriptively expressed in the bill or joint resolution's title. Appropriations bills may only contain provisions that are germane to the subject matter of the underlying bill. However, appropriations bills may limit the expenditure of appropriated funds.

The bill voids 

  • any act (i.e., law) or joint resolution with a title that addresses two or more unrelated subjects;
  • any provision of an act or joint resolution concerning a subject that is not clearly and descriptively expressed in the title;
  • any provision of an appropriations act that contains general legislation or change of existing law provision not germane to the subject matter of the underlying bill;
  • any provision of an appropriations act that addresses a subject outside of the jurisdiction of the relevant subcommittee of the Committees on Appropriations of the House and of the Senate.

The bill also authorizes any person aggrieved by the enforcement or threat of enforcement of an act enacted after this bill that does not comply with the requirements of this bill to sue the United States.

Bill 119 hr 95, also known as the "One Subject at a Time Act," aims to address the issue of legislative riders and unrelated provisions being attached to bills in Congress. The bill proposes that each piece of legislation enacted by Congress must be limited to only one subject.

The main goal of this bill is to promote transparency and accountability in the legislative process by ensuring that lawmakers focus on one issue at a time. By requiring bills to be limited to a single subject, it is believed that lawmakers will be forced to debate and vote on each issue separately, rather than bundling unrelated provisions together.

Supporters of the bill argue that this will lead to more focused and efficient legislation, as well as increased public understanding of the laws being passed. They believe that by eliminating unrelated provisions, lawmakers will be able to better address the specific issue at hand and avoid the confusion and controversy that can arise from omnibus bills. Opponents of the bill, however, argue that it could potentially slow down the legislative process and make it more difficult to pass comprehensive legislation. They also raise concerns about the potential for abuse, as lawmakers may find ways to circumvent the rule by creatively defining what constitutes a single subject. Overall, Bill 119 hr 95 seeks to reform the legislative process by promoting greater clarity and accountability in Congress. It remains to be seen whether this bill will gain enough support to become law, but it has sparked an important debate about how legislation is crafted and passed in the United States.
Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo require that each bill enacted by Congress be limited to only one subject, and for other purposes.

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary2/6/2025

One Bill, One Subject Transparency Act

This bill prohibits any bill or joint resolution from addressing more than one subject and establishes related enforcement mechanisms.

The bill requires bills and joint resolution...


Latest Action1/3/2025
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.