Sponsors
I'll give you the short version of this bill.
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Requires bills and resolutions to identify the constitutional authority for enactment and, when a bill would change existing law, to publish the current text, proposed amendments, and the law as it would read if enacted. It mandates public publication and an oral reading of the full text before final votes, requires members to attest they read or listened to the full text, and makes Acts unenforceable and subject to court challenge if these transparency and procedural requirements are not met. The measure also adds a technical entry to the U.S. Code table of sections and includes a severability clause so valid parts remain effective if some parts are struck down.
The Act is enacted pursuant to the Constitution of the United States as it applies to each House of Congress under Article I, section 5, clauses 2 and 3, which allow each House to determine its rules and keep a journal of proceedings.
The Act is enacted pursuant to Article I, section 7, clause 2, to ensure that bills that become law have been actually passed by, not just passed through, each House of Congress.
The Act is enacted pursuant to Article I, section 8, clause 18 (the Necessary and Proper Clause), which authorizes Congress to make laws necessary and proper to carry into execution the rules of each House of Congress.
A provision of the Act that gives standing in a court of law to any person aggrieved by enforcement of a law enacted in violation of the rules of proceedings of either House of Congress, or by suspension of the rules, is enacted pursuant to Article III, section 2 of the Constitution.
The Constitution vests all legislative powers granted in the Constitution in Congress.
Primary effects fall on the legislative branch and anyone who uses or relies on federal statutes. Members of Congress must comply with new publication, reading, and affidavit rules before voting on measures that change existing law; congressional staff and legislative drafters will face increased workload to prepare and publish the required materials within the timelines. The public and outside stakeholders gain greater access to bill texts and changes earlier in the process, improving transparency. Federal courts and prospective plaintiffs gain clearer standing to challenge and potentially invalidate laws enacted without compliance, increasing litigation risk and the likelihood that procedural defects could void statutory provisions. The measure could slow the legislative timetable for enacting laws and raise administrative burdens but does not impose funding obligations on states, localities, or federal agencies.
Amends the table of sections for title 1, United States Code, by inserting a new table entry after the item relating to chapter 2 (section 105).
Inserts new sections 105a through 105d into chapter 2 of title 1, United States Code, immediately after section 105, establishing requirements for (a) citation of constitutional authority in bills and resolutions, (b) inclusion of current law text and proposed amendments, (c) pre-vote procedures (publication, notice, reading, affidavits, and journal entries), and (d) an enforcement clause allowing causes of action and invalidating Acts that do not comply.
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Introduced January 9, 2025 by Rand Paul · Last progress January 9, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Introduced in Senate