Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act of 2025
Sponsors:
Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5]
Status: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 381.
(2026-01-13)
View Original Bill Text
Plain Language Summary
This bill makes Congress look more carefully at laws that force state and local governments to spend money. Right now, when Congress passes a law, states and cities sometimes have to follow new rules that cost them money. These are called 'unfunded mandates' because the federal government doesn't give them money to pay for it. This bill would require Congress to get better information about how much these rules will cost. It would also make it harder to pass laws that cost states and cities more than $100 million per year (adjusted for inflation). The bill updates old rules from 1995 to include more types of costs and requirements.
Key Points
- Congress would have to study the costs more carefully before passing laws that make states and cities spend money
- The bill raises the cost limit from $50 million to $100 million (adjusted for inflation each year)
- New rules would cover more situations, including when the government doesn't renew programs or when agencies make new regulations
- Independent agencies like the Federal Reserve would also have to follow these rules for the first time
Who This Affects
This bill affects state and local governments who have to follow federal laws. It could give them protection from expensive new requirements. It also affects Congress members who would need to follow new steps before voting. Regular citizens might be affected because their state and city governments would have different costs and requirements.
Arguments For
- States and cities deserve to know how much federal laws will cost them before Congress votes
- The federal government shouldn't force states to spend money without helping them pay for it
- Better information helps Congress make smarter decisions about new laws
Arguments Against
- These new requirements could slow down Congress and make it harder to pass important laws
- Some important protections for people might cost money but are still worth doing
- The rules might have too many exceptions that let Congress skip the requirements anyway
Fiscal Impact
No fiscal impact estimated
Summary generated by AI (claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929). For informational purposes only.
Always refer to the original bill text for legal accuracy.