H.R. 5955: Stopping the Excessive Growth of the Federal Government Act

111th Congress · introduced 2010-07-29 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2010-07-29 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Stopping the Excessive Growth of the Federal Government Act

Plain summary

Stopping the Excessive Growth of the Federal Government Act - Imposes the following restrictions until the close of a Congress during which a bill or joint resolution that increases federal taxes is enacted: (1) no new appropriations may be made to a government agency; (2) no new positions may be created within a government agency; and (3) a government agency must abide by a five-to-three ratio of involuntary separations to appointments. Makes such restrictions inapplicable: (1) to positions within a small government agency (i.e., an agency that employs an average of not more than 500 employees) or the Departments of Defense (DOD), Homeland Security (DHS), or Veterans Affairs (VA); or (2) during a period of national emergency declared by the President.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Stopping the Excessive Growth of the Federal Government Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] reported raising $1.8 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111hr5955.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/hr>

Record fed-us-cong111-hr5955 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111