A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
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
The BEACON Act aims to amend the Inspector General Act of 1978 to create an Office of Inspector General within the Executive Office of the President. This new office would be headed by an Inspector General appointed by the President within 120 days of the bill's enactment. The bill establishes specific rules regarding how the President can control certain audits or investigations involving sensitive information. It also requires semiannual reports to be submitted to both the President and Congress. Additionally, the Act mandates audits of the new office and evaluations regarding how information is classified.
Yes
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The act enhances transparency by requiring written notices for prohibited investigations and semiannual reporting to Congress.
- Scored +5
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill centralizes control over certain investigations within the Executive Office of the President.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Oversight of Executive Operations: The establishment of an Office of Inspector General for the Executive Office of the President aims to provide oversight for the administration of programs and operations, specifically targeting the detection and elimination of fraud, waste, and abuse (Section 2(b)(1)(D)).
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Transparency Regarding Information Access: The bill requires the Inspector General to certify whether they have had full and direct access to all relevant information, which provides a mechanism to track if oversight is being hindered (Section 2(b)(1)(B)).
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Accountability for Restricted Investigations: If the President prohibits an investigation or subpoena to protect sensitive information, the President must provide a written notice explaining the reasons to the Inspector General (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(3)(A)).
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Congressional Oversight of Executive Actions: The bill ensures that when the President exercises power to prohibit certain investigations, the Inspector General must transmit that notice to various congressional committees (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(3)(B)).
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Addressing Misclassification of Information: The Act requires evaluations to identify management practices that might be causing the persistent misclassification of material (Section 2(d)(1)(B)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Presidential Control Over Sensitive Investigations: The President is granted the authority to direct and control audits, investigations, or subpoenas that involve confidential sources, intelligence or counterintelligence matters, or undercover operations (Section 2(b)(a)(1)).
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Power to Halt Oversight: The President has the power to prohibit the Inspector General from initiating, carrying out, or completing an audit or investigation if the President determines it is necessary to prevent the disclosure of specific sensitive information (Section 2(b)(a)(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 act enhances transparency by requiring written notices for prohibited investigations and semiannual reporting to Congress. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill centralizes control over certain investigations within the Executive Office of the President.
- 7/9/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Mark KellyDemocrat · Arizona