Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of su…
The bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to (1) clarify findings about Congress’s power of the purse and narrow the definition of contingencies; (2) give the Comptroller General enhanced interpretive authority and access to executive records; (3) create a private right of action allowing persons, states, and local governments to sue the United States and federal employees over unlawful withholding of appropriated budget authority, including injunctive relief and statutory damages, treble damages for bad faith, attorney’s fees, and waiver of certain immunities; and (4) make failures to make budget authority available justiciable final agency actions and include a severability clause.
Progressives emphasize restoring congressional control and remedying impoundment
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive policy change that creates a private right of action and new remedies for violations of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, augments GAO's role, and clarifies justiciability.
The bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to (1) clarify findings about Congress’s power of the purse and narrow the definition of contingencies; (2) give the Comptroller General enhanced interpretive authority and access to executive records; (3) create a private right of action allowing persons, states, and local governments to sue the United States and federal employees over unlawful withholding of appropriated budget authority, including injunctive relief and statutory damages, treble damages for bad faith, attorney’s fees, and waiver of certain immunities; and (4) make failures to make budget authority available justiciable final agency actions and include a severability clause.
Ambitious enforcement and liability measures face legal, fiscal, and executive-branch resistance; passage would require major consensus or trade-offs.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive policy change that creates a private right of action and new remedies for violations of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, augments GAO's role, and clarifies justiciability. Its statutory drafting contains many specific elements (definitions, remedies, deference to the Comptroller General), but it omits several practical and fiscal details needed for full implementation.
Progressives emphasize restoring congressional control and remedying impoundment
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives emphasize restoring congressional control and remedying impoundment
Likely supportive overall.
The bill strengthens congressional control over spending, creates enforceable remedies against unlawful impoundment, and empowers affected parties, aligning with oversight and accountability values.
Some caution about litigation risks and potential chilling effects on good-faith executive decisions is probable.
Mixed/conditional.
The bill aims to clarify rules and provide judicial review, which improves accountability, but it raises significant practical, constitutional, and cost concerns that may require narrowing and procedural safeguards before full support.
Likely opposed.
The bill constrains executive budgetary discretion, exposes political appointees to personal liability, and waives longstanding immunities—raising separation-of-powers, national security, and administrative burden concerns.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Ambitious enforcement and liability measures face legal, fiscal, and executive-branch resistance; passage would require major consensus or trade-offs.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives emphasize restoring congressional control and remedying impoundment
Ambitious enforcement and liability measures face legal, fiscal, and executive-branch resistance; passage would require major consensus or…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive policy change that creates a private right of action and new remedies for violations of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Cont…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.