H.R. 5581: Access to Counsel Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-01-10 · Immigration · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 332.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-01-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 332. 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

Access to Counsel Act of 2020

Plain summary

Access to Counsel Act of 2020 This bill provides various protections for covered individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspections when seeking admission into the United States. Covered individuals include U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, aliens in possession of a visa, and refugees. The Department of Homeland Security shall ensure that a covered individual subject to secondary or deferred inspection has a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and certain related parties, such as a relative, within an hour of the start of the secondary inspection and as necessary during the inspection process. The counsel and related party shall be allowed to advocate on behalf of the covered individual, including by providing evidence and information to the examining immigration officer. A lawful permanent resident subject to secondary or deferred inspection may not abandon lawful permanent resident status until the individual has had a reasonable opportunity to seek advice from counsel, unless the individual voluntarily and knowingly waives in writing this opportunity to seek counsel's advice.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House, Part I), 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

Access to Counsel Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House, Part I)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] · 50 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Judy Chu (D-CA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL), Adam Smith (D-WA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Ted Lieu (D-CA), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] reported raising $2.9 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 (2)

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 (Reported to House, Part I)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr5581.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5581 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116