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H.R. 1573: Access to Counsel Act of 2021

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H.R. 1573: Access to Counsel Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-03 · Immigration · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-03 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 128 (2021): On Motion to Recommit, HR1573 (2021-04-21), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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 2021

Plain summary

Access to Counsel Act of 2021 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, returning asylees, 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 meaningful 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 (Passed 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

Access to Counsel Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed 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. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7] · 49 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1573, Access to Counsel Act of 2021 (2021-04-15)

Cosponsors on this site

Judy Chu (D-CA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), André Carson (D-IN), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL)

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.

Recorded votes

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

Record fed-us-cong117-hr1573 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117