Eugene Vindman (D-VA)
Honesty in Government Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Honesty in Government Act of 2026. Its main purpose is to give the government more time to prosecute people who lie to Congress. Right now, there is a time limit for charging someone with making false statements, but this bill changes that limit. Specifically, it extends the time limit to 10 years for offenses involving false statements, concealment, or fraudulent representation within the legislative branch. This new rule applies to offenses committed on or after the date the bill is enacted. It does not bring back any claims where the old time limit already ran out before the enactment date.
Yes
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
By extending the statute of limitations for false statements and concealment within the legislative branch, the bill strengthens accountability and honesty in government operations.
- Scored +3
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill extends the federal statute of limitations for false statements made to Congress to 10 years, moderately expanding federal enforcement reach.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Holding Officials Accountable: According to Section 2, the bill extends the time limit to 10 years to prosecute someone for making false statements, concealment, or fraudulent representation in matters within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch. This could be seen as positive because it gives law enforcement and investigators much more time to thoroughly look into dishonest behavior and hold people accountable for lying to Congress.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential Burdens from Extended Investigations: Based on the text provided, there are no specific negative impacts or burdens explicitly mentioned for individuals or groups, other than the fact that individuals face a longer 10-year window under Section 2 where they can potentially be prosecuted, tried, or punished for offenses involving false statements within the legislative branch.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — By extending the statute of limitations for false statements and concealment within the legislative branch, the bill strengthens accountability and honesty in government operations. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill extends the federal statute of limitations for false statements made to Congress to 10 years, moderately expanding federal enforcement reach.
- 10/15/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House