H.R. 70: Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017
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H.R. 70: Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017
115th Congress · introduced 2017-01-03 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 362.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2017-01-03 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 362. 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.
Official title
Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017
Plain summary
Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to modify and expand requirements for federal advisory committees. A federal advisory committee is any term-limited committee, board, commission, council, conference, panel, task force, or similar group that dispenses objective advice and recommendations to officers and agencies of the executive branch. (Sec. 2) The bill requires that appointments to federal advisory committees be made without regard to political affiliation or political activity, unless required by federal statute. The head of a federal agency making an appointment to an advisory committee must give interested persons an opportunity to suggest potential committee members by including a request for comments in the Federal Register and providing a mechanism for interested persons to comment through the agency's official website. The agency must consider any comments submitted in making selections of advisory committee members. Any individual appointed to an advisory committee who is not a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee of the federal government shall be designated as: (1) a special government employee if the individual is providing advice based on the individual's expertise or experience, or (2) a representative if representing the views of an entity outside of the federal government. An agency may not designate committee members as representatives to avoid making them subject to federal ethics rules and requirements. A designated ethics official of each agency shall review the designation of each member of an advisory committee to determine whether such member's designation is appropriate and may redesignate members if appropriate. Agency heads must ensure that the agency does not interfere with the free and independent participation, expression of views, and deliberation by advisory committee members. (Sec. 3) The bill deems an individual who is not a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee of the federal government as a member of an advisory committee if such individual regularly attends and participates in committee meetings, even if such individual does not have the right to vote or veto the advice or recommendations of the committee. Subcommittees of advisory committees, advisory committees established under contract or other transactional authority, and committees that include members appointed as special government employees are deemed subject to FACA requirements. (Sec. 4) Agencies must make publicly available for each advisory committee: (1) the charter of the advisory committee; (2) the member appointment process; (3) a list of all current members, including designations as representatives or special government employees; (4) any recusal agreement made by a committee member to avoid a conflict of interest; (5) committee processes for making decisions; (6) detailed meeting minutes; and (7) notices of future committee meetings. This information must be placed on the agency's website and the website of the General Services Administration (GSA). Advisory committees may not meet or take any action until an advisory committee charter has been filed with the GSA, the agency to which the committee reports, and specified congressional committees. (Sec. 5) The head of each federal agency that has an advisory committee must designate a senior agency official as the agency's Advisory Committee Management Officer. Such official shall be an expert in implementing the requirements of FACA and shall be the primary point of contact for the GSA. (Sec. 6) The Government Accountability Office shall review, and report on, compliance by agencies with FACA, as amended by this bill, including whether agencies are appropriately appointing advisory committee members as either special government employees or representatives. (Sec. 7) The bill amends the Trade Act of 1974 to expand exemptions from FACA requirements for trade advisory committees under such Act. (Sec. 8) The bill adopts, for purposes of FACA , the definition of "special Government employee" in the federal criminal code. (Sec. 10) The effective date of this bill is 30 days after its enactment. (Sec. 11) No additional funds shall be authorized to carry out the requirements in this bill.
Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), 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
Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Clay, Wm. Lacy [D-MO-1] · 3 cosponsors
Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 70, Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2017 (2017-11-17)
Cosponsors on this site
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 (8)
- Appropriation
- Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
- Authorization
- A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
- 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).
- Exemption
- A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
- Federal Register
- The official daily publication of the U.S. government for agency rules, proposed rules, public notices and presidential documents.
- Rulemaking
- The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
- Statute
- A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.
- Veto
- The power of a president or governor to reject a bill passed by the legislature. Lawmakers can override a veto with a large enough vote (two-thirds of each chamber in Congress).
Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.
Sources
- Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr70.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>
Record fed-us-cong115-hr70 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115