S. 797: PACT Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-17 · Commerce · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 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

PACT Act

Plain summary

Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency Act or the PACT Act This bill requires providers of interactive computer services (e.g., social media companies) to publish their policy explaining the types of content permissible on the service and provide a system for users to submit complaints about content that may violate the policy or involve illegal content. Further, social media companies must establish a process for removing certain content that violates their policies and notifying the information content provider about the removal, including a mechanism to appeal the removal. Social media companies also must publish a report every six months that details the instances in which the company took action with respect to content, including removing content, deprioritizing content, and suspending content provider accounts. The bill removes certain liability protections for companies if the company has actual knowledge of illegal content on its service and does not remove it within specified time frames. The bill provides for enforcement of these requirements by the Federal Trade Commission.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

PACT Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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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: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Thune (R-SD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] reported raising $1.8 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

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s797.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s797 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117