H.R. 4229: To amend the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require prior approval from Congress before the Comptroller General may pursue a civil action under such Act, and for other purposes.

119th Congress · introduced 2025-06-27 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

To amend the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require prior approval from Congress before the Comptroller General may pursue a civil action under such Act, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill prohibits the Government Accountability Office (GAO) from bringing a civil action under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA) to compel the release of appropriated funds unless Congress has enacted a concurrent resolution authorizing GAO to bring the action. The ICA generally limits the authority of the President to impound (i.e., withhold from obligation or expenditure) funds that have been appropriated by Congress and establishes related procedures. Under current law, GAO is authorized to bring a civil action to compel a federal agency to release budget authority for obligation if the budget authority is required to be released under the ICA, and the agency has not released the funds. This bill prohibits GAO from bringing such an action without prior congressional approval.

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 amend the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require prior approval from Congress before the Comptroller General may pursue a civil action under such Act, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1] · 6 cosponsors

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Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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).
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-119hr4229.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/119/hr>

Record fed-us-cong119-hr4229 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills