James Comer (R-KY)

GOOD Act

H.R. 1515 · House bill Government Operations and Politics

A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See all 3 cosponsors

Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

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

  1. Introduced
  2. Passed House voice vote
  3. In Senate committee

The House by voice vote (members called out yes or no together): no member's position on it was recorded.

What this bill would do

This bill is known as the Guidance Out Of Darkness Act or the GOOD Act. It requires federal agencies to publish their guidance documents online in a single, designated location. Agencies must publish new guidance documents when they are issued and must publish any guidance documents that are already in effect within 180 days of the bill's enactment. The bill also requires agencies to maintain rescinded guidance documents online with a note stating they are rescinded. Finally, the Comptroller General must submit a report on agency compliance to specific congressional committees within five years.

Yes

  • Scored +7

    Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?

    The Act mandates the centralized publication of agency guidance documents on a single website to increase public access to policy interpretations.

The opposite

  • Scored -1

    Does this protect people from being watched or searched?

    The Act maintains existing FOIA exemptions to ensure that sensitive or private information remains protected from public disclosure.