Congressional Oversight and Agency Access Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (22 Jul 2026): Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
What this bill does
H.R. 9835, the Congressional Oversight and Agency Access Act, would guarantee members of Congress and their staff access to "public buildings" as defined under federal law, including contractor-operated facilities and buildings used under intergovernmental or federal contracts. Members would need to show congressional identification, while staff would need to be accompanied by their employing Member and present valid staff credentials. The bill requires access during regular business hours, immediate access during public meetings, and access within 24 hours of a request outside normal hours or to areas requiring security clearance. Access to security-clearance areas would depend on committee jurisdiction over the relevant agency, or consent from that committee's chair or ranking member. Access rights would continue even during declared national emergencies or public health emergencies, and buildings could not be temporarily altered to limit what a Member or staffer could observe.
The bill primarily affects federal agencies that operate or contract for public buildings, as well as Members of Congress and congressional staff conducting oversight visits. It is intended to support Congress's ability to inspect and monitor federal facilities as part of its oversight function.
The bill was introduced in the House on July 22, 2026, by Rep. Donald Beyer along with several cosponsors, and has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. As an introduced bill, it would need to be considered and approved by the committee, the full House, the Senate, and signed by the President before becoming law; no further action has yet occurred.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Timeline
22 Jul 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9835 do?
- H.R. 9835, the Congressional Oversight and Agency Access Act, would guarantee members of Congress and their staff access to "public buildings" as defined under federal law, including contractor-operated facilities and buildings used under intergovernmental or federal contracts. Members would need to show congressional identification, while staff would need to be accompanied by their employing Member and present valid staff credentials. The bill requires access during regular business hours, immediate access during public meetings, and access within 24 hours of a request outside normal hours or to areas requiring security clearance. Access to security-clearance areas would depend on committee jurisdiction over the relevant agency, or consent from that committee's chair or ranking member. Access rights would continue even during declared national emergencies or public health emergencies, and buildings could not be temporarily altered to limit what a Member or staffer could observe. The bill primarily affects federal agencies that operate or contract for public buildings, as well as Members of Congress and congressional staff conducting oversight visits. It is intended to support Congress's ability to inspect and monitor federal facilities as part of its oversight function. The bill was introduced in the House on July 22, 2026, by Rep. Donald Beyer along with several cosponsors, and has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. As an introduced bill, it would need to be considered and approved by the committee, the full House, the Senate, and signed by the President before becoming law; no further action has yet occurred.
- Has H.R. 9835 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 9835. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9835?
- H.R. 9835 was sponsored by Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8] (D-VA), with 11 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9835?
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. (22 Jul 2026).
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