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This bill would make Congress send the president only legislation that covers one subject at a time, and that subject would have to be clearly described in the bill’s title. It also says that laws should apply to members of Congress and their staff the same way they apply to everyone else, and any special legal exceptions for them would generally not count. The bill keeps exceptions needed for official duties, such as access to the Capitol and related buildings, so lawmakers can still do their jobs.
- Any bill, resolution, order, or vote sent to the president would be limited to one subject only.
- The title would have to clearly explain that single subject in plain language.
- Any law that gives members of Congress or their staff a special exception would have no effect, unless it is needed for official lawmaking duties.
- The rule about single-subject bills would apply starting with the 119th Congress and each Congress after that.
Official Summaries
Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform of Congress Act or the CLEAN Congress Act
This bill (1) requires bills, orders, resolutions, or votes submitted by Congress to the President to include only one subject that is clearly and descriptively expressed in the measure's title; and (2) makes ineffective any provision of law that excludes its application to a Member of Congress or to an employee in a Member's office.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 157 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 157
To prohibit a single bill or joint resolution presented by Congress to
the President from containing multiple subjects and to require the
equal application of laws to Members of Congress.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mr. Fitzpatrick introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit a single bill or joint resolution presented by Congress to
the President from containing multiple subjects and to require the
equal application of laws to Members of Congress.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption
Reform of Congress Act'' or the ``CLEAN Congress Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITING MULTIPLE SUBJECTS IN SINGLE BILL.
(a) In General.--Each bill, order, resolution, or vote submitted by
Congress to the President under section 7 of article I of the
Constitution of the United States shall embrace no more than one
subject, and that subject shall be clearly and descriptively expressed
in the title of the bill, order, resolution or vote.
(b) Effective Date.--Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to the
One Hundred Nineteenth Congress and each succeeding Congress.
SEC. 3. REQUIRING EQUAL APPLICATION OF LAWS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
provision of law that provides an exception in its application to a
Member of Congress or an employee of the office of a Member of Congress
shall have no effect.
(b) Clarification Relating to Exercise of Official or
Representational Duties.--Subsection (a) shall not be construed to
apply to provisions of law or rules which permit Members of Congress or
employees of offices of Members of Congress to carry out official
duties that are tied directly to lawmaking, including provisions or
rules permitting Members and employees to enter and use the United
States Capitol, the United States Capitol grounds, and other buildings
and facilities.
(c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Member of Congress''
means a Senator or a Representative in, or Delegate or Resident
Commissioner to, the Congress.
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