PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5] · D–CT
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H692)
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: May 30, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.1251 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-12 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposal would give House members and senators access to covered public buildings when they show specified congressional identification. Access would apply during regular business hours and, with at least 12 hours’ advance notice, outside those hours. The buildings covered would depend on an existing federal-law definition that is not reproduced in the supplied text.
A Member of Congress shall have access to any public building if such Member displays identification issued by the Clerk or Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives (in the case of a Member of the House of Representatives) or by the Secretary or Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate (in the case of a Senator).
(b) Hours The requirements of subsection (a) shall apply— (1) during regular business hours; and (2) if during hours that are not covered by paragraph (1), such Member has notified the head of the entity in which such Member seeks to access, not later than 12 hours before the time at which such Member seeks to enter such building.
(2) Public building The term public building has the meaning given such term in section 3301 of title 40, United States Code.
For House members, the proposed access requirement would depend on displaying identification issued by the House Clerk or Sergeant at Arms. Senators would need identification issued by the Senate Secretary or Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper.
A Member of Congress shall have access to any public building if such Member displays identification issued by the Clerk or Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives (in the case of a Member of the House of Representatives) or by the Secretary or Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate (in the case of a Senator).
The proposal would require access during regular business hours without an advance-notice condition. Outside those hours, the member would have to notify the head of the entity they seek to access at least 12 hours before entering.
(b) Hours The requirements of subsection (a) shall apply— (1) during regular business hours; and (2) if during hours that are not covered by paragraph (1), such Member has notified the head of the entity in which such Member seeks to access, not later than 12 hours before the time at which such Member seeks to enter such building.
The proposal defines a Member of Congress as a House member or senator. It incorporates the definition of “public building” from section 3301 of title 40 of the United States Code, so the supplied text alone does not establish the full range of covered buildings.
(c) Definitions In this Act: (1) Member of Congress The term Member of Congress means a Member of the House of Representatives or a Senator. (2) Public building The term public building has the meaning given such term in section 3301 of title 40, United States Code.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated May 30, 2025, records introduction in the House and referrals to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and its Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee on February 12, 2025. It also records sponsor introductory remarks on February 13, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-05-30T19:21:18Z. 2025-02-13: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H692) 2025-02-12: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. 2025-02-12: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 2025-02-12: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-12. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; accompanying earmark materials are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The proposal establishes a special access entitlement for a narrowly defined group of public officials. This classification describes the treatment, without judging its justification.
House members and senators would receive a special entitlement to enter covered public buildings with specified congressional identification, including outside regular business hours after at least 12 hours’ notice. This access privilege is the proposal’s central policy.
A Member of Congress shall have access to any public building if such Member displays identification issued by the Clerk or Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives (in the case of a Member of the House of Representatives) or by the Secretary or Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate (in the case of a Senator).
(b) Hours The requirements of subsection (a) shall apply— (1) during regular business hours; and (2) if during hours that are not covered by paragraph (1), such Member has notified the head of the entity in which such Member seeks to access, not later than 12 hours before the time at which such Member seeks to enter such building.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: May 30, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI