H.R. 160House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

CLEAN Congress Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 13, 2026 at 11:40 PM UTC

The CLEAN Congress Act aims to improve legislative transparency and fairness. It would require that any bill or joint resolution sent to the President cover only one subject, clearly stated in its title, and it would eliminate legal exemptions that apply only to members of Congress or their staff, ensuring laws apply equally to them. The bill affects all members of Congress, their employees, and the legislative process.

Key Provisions

Bills, orders, resolutions, or votes sent to the President must address only a single subject, which must be clearly expressed in the title.
Any law that provides an exception for a member of Congress or their staff is invalid, so laws must apply equally to them.
The rule does not affect laws that allow members or staff to perform official duties tied to lawmaking, such as access to the Capitol.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

January 3, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 3, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 3, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

January 3, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 3, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 160

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 3, 2019

Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself and Mr. Gallagher) 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.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Citizen Legislature Anti-Corruption Reform of Congress Act or the CLEAN Congress Act.

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 Sixteenth Congress and each succeeding Congress.

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.