Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act
A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 423–0
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
This Act is titled the "Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act." It aims to change how certain reports are handled by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Specifically, it amends the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 regarding financial reporting. The bill shifts the focus from a general financial statement to a specific report on employee compensation. This new report requires details on employees at the management level or above who earn at or above the GS-15 pay rate. Finally, it provides specific exemptions for this salary information.
Yes
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates a specific report including names, salaries, and duties of high-level TVA employees to replace a general financial statement.
- Scored +1
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
By increasing the specificity of management compensation reports for the TVA, it provides more granular oversight of a major rural entity.
- Scored +1
Does this invest in rural communities?
The bill increases transparency regarding the compensation of high-level management within the Tennessee Valley Authority, which impacts a key rural development agency.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill includes an exemption that prevents the mandated salary information from being disclosed under specific transparency laws, potentially impacting information access.
What Congress actually voted on
One recorded vote has been taken on this bill.
- The House: a fast-track vote, needing two-thirds to pass The House sets aside its normal procedure to move quickly: no amendments, little debate, and a two-thirds bar instead of a simple majority. It is used for measures expected to be uncontroversial, so a bill that fails here failed despite broad expectations that it would not. Passed 423 yes · 0 no
01/15/2025 · Roll call 14 · recorded as “On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Increased Transparency for Management Compensation: The bill replaces a general financial statement with a specific report that includes the names, salaries, and duties of all executives, board members, and management-level employees earning at or above the GS-15 pay rate (Section 2, subsection (1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reduced Public Access to Information: The bill creates an exemption that prevents the salary information of these employees from being disclosed under section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States Code, and the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (Section 2, subsection (3), paragraph (2)).
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? — The bill mandates a specific report including names, salaries, and duties of high-level TVA employees to replace a general financial statement. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill includes an exemption that prevents the mandated salary information from being disclosed under specific transparency laws, potentially impacting information access.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — By increasing the specificity of management compensation reports for the TVA, it provides more granular oversight of a major rural entity.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill increases transparency regarding the compensation of high-level management within the Tennessee Valley Authority, which impacts a key rural development agency.
- 1/16/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 1/15/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 14). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H105)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 14). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H105)
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H169-170)
- 1/13/2025
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 144.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H105-106)
- Mr. Graves moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 1/4/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- 1/3/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Tim BurchettRepublican · Tennessee