H.R. 5885: Right to Petition Congress Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-07-14 · Congress · Latest: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-07-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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. 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

Right to Petition Congress Act

Plain summary

Right to Petition Congress Act This bill requires the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate to establish a process under which they shall: develop a national discharge petition for a bill or joint resolution introduced in either the House or the Senate or referred to either chamber after passage by the other chamber during a Congress, make each petition available for signature by individuals registered to vote in elections for federal office held in their domiciles, and compile such signatures. The Clerk or the Secretary may: (1) develop a petition only at the request of the sponsor of the bill or joint resolution; and (2) carry out this bill using such methods as the Clerk and Secretary consider appropriate, including providing for the availability of such petitions and the acceptance of signatures on them exclusively through electronic means. If a discharge petition is certified by the Clerk or the Secretary as having valid signatures of 25% or more of qualified voters, the leadership of the House and Senate shall ensure that a vote on the final passage of the measure takes place within a specified time period. As part of the national discharge petition process, the Clerk and the Secretary shall provide on their public websites a hyperlink through which individuals may obtain information on how to register to vote in federal elections in their domiciles.

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.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Right to Petition Congress 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. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-36] reported raising $2.5 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 (3)

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.

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-114hr5885.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5885 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114