PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 5147: To prohibit the Secretary of Defense from procuring personal protective equipment from certain non-allied foreign nations, and for other purposes.

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 5147: To prohibit the Secretary of Defense from procuring personal protective equipment from certain non-allied foreign nations, and for other purposes.

117th Congress · introduced 2021-08-31 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-08-31 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. 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

To prohibit the Secretary of Defense from procuring personal protective equipment from certain non-allied foreign nations, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from procuring any covered item from the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, or the Islamic Republic of Iran. Under the bill, covered items include sanitizing and disinfecting wipes, testing swabs, gauze, bandages, and personal protective equipment for use in preventing the spread of disease and the materials and components thereof. The bill provides for an exception to the prohibition in circumstances where (1) DOD determines that covered materials of satisfactory quality and quantity cannot be procured from other nations at a specified time and reasonable price, (2) the procurement of covered items is for use outside of the United States, or (3) the purchase is for amounts not greater than $150,000. However, a proposed purchase or contract for an amount greater than $150,000 may not be divided into multiple purchases or contracts for lesser amounts to qualify for an exception.

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

To prohibit the Secretary of Defense from procuring personal protective equipment from certain non-allied foreign nations, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] reported raising $5.4 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 (1)
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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-hr5147 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117