Time to Choose Act of 2025

House Votes

This bill aims to stop conflicts of interest in federal contracting. It tells federal agencies to only hire consulting firms that certify they are not also doing consulting work for certain foreign entities (including China). The government’s contracting rules must be updated within one year to add this requirement and block awards to firms that won’t meet it .

There is a narrow exception. An agency leader can grant a one-year waiver (extendable once for up to six months) only if it’s in the national security interest and no other company can do the work. The agency must notify federal officials and Congress, and usually must post the foreign clients’ names on its website, unless that would harm national security. Only one waiver can be active for a company at a time. Firms with a waiver must report any known human rights or religious liberty violations tied to those foreign clients, and any risks to U.S. economic or national security they find .

If a company lies about its foreign work, the contract must be canceled and the firm may be blocked from future federal contracts. Lying can also trigger False Claims Act penalties, including triple damages. No new money is authorized to carry out this bill. “Consulting services” here focuses on management, scientific, and technical consulting work (NAICS 5416) .

Key points

• Who is affected: Consulting firms and federal agencies that buy their services, especially management, scientific, and technical consulting firms.
• What changes: Firms must certify they don’t also consult for covered foreign entities; otherwise they can’t get federal consulting contracts. Limited, tightly controlled exceptions are possible. Penalties apply for false claims .
• When: The federal rules must be updated within one year of the bill becoming law; waivers last up to one year, with one possible extension up to six months .