H.R. 3507: Legislative Accountability Act

This bill, titled the Legislative Accountability Act, aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the legislative process within the U.S. Congress. Below are the primary components of the bill:

Submission of Amendment Information

The bill requires the chairs of congressional committees to provide specific information regarding amendments to bills and joint resolutions. Specifically:

• Within three legislative days after a committee reports a bill or joint resolution, the committee chair must submit to the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate the names of any Members of Congress who submitted amendments that were adopted by the committee.
• For bills or resolutions passed by either the House or Senate, the respective committee chairs must also submit information about Members who proposed and had amendments adopted, within three legislative days following the passage.

Special Requirements for Certain Committees

The bill outlines special rules for bills reported by specific committees, including:

• The Committee on Appropriations of the House and Senate, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House, and the Committee on Finance of the Senate must report not only the names of Members who proposed adopted amendments to bills or resolutions but also identify those responsible for including specific provisions within the legislation.

Footnoting in Legislative Documents

Upon the submission of Members' names as per the above requirements, the following will happen:

• The names of the Members will be included as footnotes in all official versions of the reported, engrossed, enrolled, or enacted bills and resolutions. These footnotes will clarify which specific amendments or provisions were introduced by those Members.

Definitions and Rulemaking

The bill defines a Member of Congress as any Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner. Moreover, it is enacted under the rulemaking powers of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, meaning it will become a part of the internal rules governing legislative management and can be altered in the future as needed.

Intended Outcomes

The intent behind this bill is to increase accountability among legislators by making it clear who is responsible for which amendments in the legislative process. This could potentially foster greater transparency in how bills are formulated and the contributions of individual Members of Congress.

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