Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
The Stop Wasteful Advertising by the Government (SWAG) Act prohibits federal agencies from using federal funds to purchase or distribute promotional 'swag' and from creating mascots to promote agencies, programs, or agendas, with specified exceptions. It requires agencies to report prior-year public relations and advertising spending, including estimated return on investment, in their annual budget justifications.
Progressive fears harm to public-health outreach and long-term benefits
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive change that establishes specific prohibitions on certain agency expenditures, defines key terms, enumerates exceptions, requires reporting in budget submissions, and directs OMB to issue implementing regulations within a set period.
The Stop Wasteful Advertising by the Government (SWAG) Act prohibits federal agencies from using federal funds to purchase or distribute promotional 'swag' and from creating mascots to promote agencies, programs, or agendas, with specified exceptions.
It requires agencies to report prior-year public relations and advertising spending, including estimated return on investment, in their annual budget justifications.
The bill exempts items tied to agency missions that show positive ROI, military and federal recruitment, Census distribution, and certain mascots, and directs OMB to issue implementing regulations within 180 days.
Narrow, low-cost measure with bipartisan appeal on paper, but Senate procedure and agency opposition reduce standalone prospects.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive change that establishes specific prohibitions on certain agency expenditures, defines key terms, enumerates exceptions, requires reporting in budget submissions, and directs OMB to issue implementing regulations within a set period.
Progressive fears harm to public-health outreach and long-term benefits
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressive fears harm to public-health outreach and long-term benefits
Skeptical of wasteful government promotion, but worried the bill could hinder public-interest outreach and preventive campaigns.
Concern centers on narrow definitions of allowable materials, ROI demands that may undervalue long-term public benefits, and potential chilling of culturally appropriate engagement.
Generally supportive of reducing waste and improving accountability, while cautious about implementation details.
Would want clearer ROI definitions, limited compliance burden, and assurance that essential informational campaigns remain permissible.
Favorable; views the bill as a sensible curb on government-funded 'propaganda' and wasteful giveaways.
Appreciates explicit prohibitions and the emphasis on measurable returns and OMB oversight.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Narrow, low-cost measure with bipartisan appeal on paper, but Senate procedure and agency opposition reduce standalone prospects.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressive fears harm to public-health outreach and long-term benefits
Narrow, low-cost measure with bipartisan appeal on paper, but Senate procedure and agency opposition reduce standalone prospects.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly focused substantive change that establishes specific prohibitions on certain agency expenditures, defines key terms, enumerates exceptions, requires repo…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.