H.R. 4038: DHS Accountability Enhancement Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-10-12 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-10-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 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

DHS Accountability Enhancement Act

Plain summary

DHS Accountability Enhancement Act This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to repeal provisions limiting the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security to allocate or reallocate functions among Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers and to establish, consolidate, alter, or discontinue organizational units within DHS. Specifically, the bill removes the following requirements: (1) that the pertinent reorganization plan submitted to Congress contain specified elements; and (2) 60 days have expired after the Secretary has provided notice of, including the rationale for, the action to the appropriate congressional committees.

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

DHS Accountability Enhancement Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Scott Perry (R-PA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] reported raising $276,976 (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).
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-115hr4038.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr4038 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115