A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
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 ACCESS Act aims to amend title 41 of the United States Code regarding contractor personnel. It seeks to prohibit government contract solicitations from setting minimum educational requirements for proposed personnel. Under this bill, an executive agency can only include such requirements if a contracting officer provides a written justification explaining why the agency's needs cannot be met without them. The Office of Management and Budget will issue guidance to help agencies implement these changes and encourage the use of alternatives to education requirements. This act also includes a repeal of specific previous requirements and mandates a GAO report on compliance.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +4
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill reduces barriers to entry for smaller firms that may have skilled workers without formal degree requirements.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to create jobs?
By removing mandatory minimum educational requirements, the bill expands the pool of eligible workers for government contracts.
- Scored +3
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Workers without formal degrees can more easily enter the government contracting workforce through alternative experience.
The opposite
- Scored -1
Would union members be better off under this?
The removal of specific educational standards could potentially impact traditional credential-based job protections.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased flexibility for contractors: The bill allows for flexibility in contractor education requirements, which may allow businesses to choose employees based on different criteria rather than strict degree requirements (Section 2(a)).
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Encouragement of alternative qualifications: The Office of Management and Budget will provide instructions to contracting officers that encourage the use of alternatives to formal education requirements (Section 2(c)(2)).
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Accountability through justification: If an agency wants to require a degree, they must now provide a written justification explaining why the agency's needs cannot be met without it (Section 2(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential loss of established standards: The bill repeals Section 813 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Section 2(e)).
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.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill reduces barriers to entry for smaller firms that may have skilled workers without formal degree requirements. Is this likely to create jobs? — By removing mandatory minimum educational requirements, the bill expands the pool of eligible workers for government contracts.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Removing strict educational barriers helps those who may not have been able to afford higher education. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Workers without formal degrees can more easily enter the government contracting workforce through alternative experience. Would union members be better off under this? — The removal of specific educational standards could potentially impact traditional credential-based job protections.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill reduces the necessity of specific degree credentials for employment in government contracting roles.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires agencies to provide written justifications when they choose to maintain educational requirements.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — Reducing degree requirements can assist by removing barriers that disproportionately affect minority workers.
- 1/13/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Gary PetersDemocrat · Michigan