Read the Bills Act

House Votes

This bill sets strict rules for how Congress writes and votes on laws. Every bill must say what part of the Constitution gives Congress the power to pass it and must show the exact parts of current law it would change, with the before-and-after text. If a bill doesn’t include this, it can’t be accepted or sent to a final vote, and Congress can’t waive these rules .

• Who is affected: Lawmakers must follow these steps and sign a written statement before voting yes; the public gets earlier, easy online access to the full text .
• What changes: Before a final vote, the full text must be online at least 7 days early, the public must get at least 6 days’ notice of the week, and the bill must be read out loud in each chamber (except private bills). Bills must also list their constitutional authority and show the exact changes to current law .
• Enforcement: If these rules are ignored, the law would have no effect, and people—including affected citizens and Members of Congress—could sue to stop enforcement.