SERVE Act
Latest action (21 Jul 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 9822, the SERVE Act, would extend the "cooling-off" period during which former members of Congress are barred from lobbying their former colleagues. Under current law, former senators must wait two years before lobbying Congress, and former House members and officers must wait one year; this bill would extend both waiting periods to ten years. It also creates a new restriction, separate from existing lobbying law, barring former members of Congress from accepting compensation as a federal contractor for ten years after leaving office, using the federal contractor definition found in federal acquisition regulations.
The bill directly affects current and future members of the House and Senate, since the new restrictions would apply to anyone who leaves office on or after the law's enactment date; it would not apply retroactively to those who have already left office. It would also indirectly affect organizations, businesses, and lobbying firms that might otherwise seek to hire former members for lobbying or federal contracting work during that ten-year window.
The bill was introduced on July 21, 2026, by Rep. Tony Wied, and has been referred to the House Committee on House Administration and the Committee on the Judiciary for consideration. As an introduced bill, it has not yet received committee action, a floor vote, or Senate consideration, and its eventual enactment would depend on further legislative action.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on July 21, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9822 do?
- H.R. 9822, the SERVE Act, would extend the "cooling-off" period during which former members of Congress are barred from lobbying their former colleagues. Under current law, former senators must wait two years before lobbying Congress, and former House members and officers must wait one year; this bill would extend both waiting periods to ten years. It also creates a new restriction, separate from existing lobbying law, barring former members of Congress from accepting compensation as a federal contractor for ten years after leaving office, using the federal contractor definition found in federal acquisition regulations. The bill directly affects current and future members of the House and Senate, since the new restrictions would apply to anyone who leaves office on or after the law's enactment date; it would not apply retroactively to those who have already left office. It would also indirectly affect organizations, businesses, and lobbying firms that might otherwise seek to hire former members for lobbying or federal contracting work during that ten-year window. The bill was introduced on July 21, 2026, by Rep. Tony Wied, and has been referred to the House Committee on House Administration and the Committee on the Judiciary for consideration. As an introduced bill, it has not yet received committee action, a floor vote, or Senate consideration, and its eventual enactment would depend on further legislative action.
- Has H.R. 9822 become law?
- Not yet. As of 21 Jul 2026, H.R. 9822 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9822?
- H.R. 9822 was sponsored by Rep. Tony Wied [R-WI8] (Republican-WI), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9822?
- Introduced (21 Jul 2026).
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