Federal
HR 95 Would Require Each Bill in Congress to Cover Only One Subject
HR 95, the One Bill, One Subject Transparency Act, would require that every bill introduced in Congress address only a single subject, and that subject must be clearly stated in the bill's title. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. If enacted, this rule would apply to all future federal legislation.
✓ REASONS TO SUPPORT
- Each bill would focus on one clear topic, making it easier for voters to understand exactly what their representatives are supporting or opposing.
- Legislators could no longer quietly attach unrelated items to popular bills, reducing the practice of 'riders' that might not pass on their own.
- Bill titles would have to accurately reflect their contents, improving honesty and transparency in the lawmaking process.
- Constituents could more easily hold their representatives accountable when each vote is tied to a single, identifiable issue.
✕ REASONS TO OPPOSE
- Many laws that address complex, interconnected problems might become harder to pass if related provisions must be split into separate bills.
- Defining what counts as 'one subject' could be ambiguous and lead to legal disputes or slow down the legislative process.
- Congress sometimes uses multi-subject bills to build the broad coalitions needed to pass difficult but necessary legislation; this rule could make compromise harder.
- Requiring more individual bills to accomplish the same legislative goals could increase workload and gridlock in an already busy legislative calendar.
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