Bills

A BILL To require that each Act of Congress address only one subject, to prohibit unrelated legislative riders, and to improve transparency and accountability in the legislative process. 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 "Legislative Transparency and Single-Subject Act of 2026." SECTION 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds that— 1. The American people deserve a transparent legislative process. 2. Large omnibus bills frequently combine unrelated provisions that make it difficult for Members of Congress and the public to fully understand legislation before voting. 3. Combining unrelated provisions into a single bill may reduce meaningful debate and accountability. 4. Members of Congress should be permitted to vote on each distinct policy issue independently. 5. A single-subject requirement promotes transparency, public trust, and legislative accountability. SECTION 3. SINGLE-SUBJECT REQUIREMENT. (a) Every bill introduced in either House of Congress shall be limited to one clearly defined subject. (b) All provisions contained within a bill shall be directly and substantially related to that subject. (c) No provision may be included solely because it is politically or procedurally convenient if it is not germane to the bill's stated purpose. SECTION 4. TITLE AND PURPOSE. Each bill shall— 1. contain a concise title accurately describing its subject; 2. include a statement of legislative purpose; and 3. identify the single subject addressed by the legislation. SECTION 5. PROHIBITION ON UNRELATED RIDERS. (a) No amendment or rider may be attached to any bill unless it is germane to the stated subject. (b) Any Member of Congress may raise a point of order alleging that a provision violates this Act. (c) Upon such objection, the Presiding Officer shall determine whether the challenged provision is germane. (d) If determined to be unrelated, the offending provision shall be removed before further consideration. SECTION 6. EXCEPTIONS. The following measures shall be exempt from the requirements of this Act: 1. General appropriations bills, provided each appropriation directly relates to the operation of the Federal Government. 2. Emergency legislation responding to war, natural disasters, or national emergencies, provided Congress adopts a written statement explaining why multiple subjects are necessary. 3. Technical corrections legislation limited to correcting drafting or clerical errors. SECTION 7. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE. Not less than seventy-two hours before any final vote, the complete text of every bill shall be made publicly available in searchable electronic form. No material changes may be made during that period unless the seventy-two-hour period begins again. SECTION 8. ENFORCEMENT. (a) Any Member of Congress may challenge a bill's compliance under this Act. (b) The House Parliamentarian or Senate Parliamentarian shall issue a written determination regarding compliance. (c) If a bill is found to violate the single-subject requirement, consideration of the bill shall cease until the violation has been corrected. SECTION 9. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Act is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in effect. SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act shall take effect at the beginning of the first session of Congress following its enactment.