Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act of 2025
Legislative Progress
Plain English Summary
AI-generatedPlain-English Summary: Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act of 2025
This bill aims to strengthen rules around "unfunded mandates" — situations where the federal government requires state and local governments, tribes, or private businesses to do something but doesn't provide the money to pay for it. The legislation would update existing law (the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995) to require federal agencies to do a more thorough job of analyzing the costs and impacts of new regulations before those rules take effect. Essentially, it wants the government to show its math before imposing new requirements on others.
Under this bill, federal agencies would need to more carefully estimate the financial burden their regulations place on state and local governments, small businesses, and individuals. It would also make it easier for affected parties to challenge regulations in court if agencies fail to properly follow these cost-analysis requirements. Additionally, the bill would apply these rules to more types of regulations than current law covers, potentially closing loopholes that have allowed some costly mandates to avoid scrutiny.
The bill would affect a wide range of people and institutions. State and local governments could gain more leverage to push back against costly federal requirements. Small businesses and industries subject to federal regulations could benefit from greater transparency about compliance costs. At the same time, consumer and public interest advocates might note that additional procedural hurdles could slow down the implementation of new health, safety, or environmental rules. The bill represents an effort to increase government accountability by making the costs of federal regulation more visible before rules are finalized.
This summary is AI-generated for informational purposes. Always refer to the official bill text for legal accuracy.
Latest Action
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 381.
January 13, 2026
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Committees
Legislative History
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 381.
Jan 13, 2026Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-446, Part I.
Jan 13, 2026Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
Jan 13, 2026Committee on the Judiciary discharged.
Jan 13, 2026Committee on the Budget discharged.
Jan 13, 2026Committee on the Budget discharged.
Jan 13, 2026Committee on Rules discharged.
Jan 13, 2026Committee on Rules discharged.
Jan 13, 2026Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 119-446, Part I.
Jan 13, 2026Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
May 21, 2025Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 19.
May 21, 2025Introduced in House
Jan 21, 2025Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, the Budget, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 21, 2025Introduced in House
Jan 21, 2025Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, the Budget, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 21, 2025Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, the Budget, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 21, 2025Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, the Budget, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 21, 2025