PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9] · R–VA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-05 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 proposed Royalty Transparency Act would expand financial disclosure filing requirements for advisory committee members and require more disclosure of invention royalties received by federal personnel and their families. It would put additional financial information online and give members of Congress access to reports, subject to specified personal-information exceptions. Conflict-of-interest reviews involving prospective contractors and grant recipients would also have to examine royalty payments.
This Act may be cited as the Royalty Transparency Act.
(13) any member of— (A) the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity; (B) the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; (C) the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines; (D) the National Vaccine Advisory Committee; (E) the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee; (F) the Defense Science Board; (G) the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute; (H) the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee; (I) the Medical Review Board Advisory Committee; (J) the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology;
the original source and amount or value of any royalties received by the reporting individual, the spouse of the reporting individual, or a dependent child of the reporting individual
publish such report on the internet website of the agency or office
shall furnish to the Member of Congress a copy of any report submitted under subsection (a), which shall be unredacted, except with respect to social security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, rental property addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, signatures, and the personally identifiable information of dependent children.
ensure that conflict of interest reviews for prospective contractors or grantees include reviews of royalties paid to prospective contractors or grantees in the preceding calendar year.
Section 2 would add members of ten named advisory bodies to the financial disclosure filing categories in title 5.
Individuals required To file (1) In general Section 13103 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
(13) any member of— (A) the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity; (B) the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; (C) the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines; (D) the National Vaccine Advisory Committee; (E) the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee; (F) the Defense Science Board; (G) the Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute; (H) the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee; (I) the Medical Review Board Advisory Committee; (J) the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology;
The filing expansion would initially also cover members of other advisory committees that the Government Accountability Office determines make public health recommendations to an agency or the President and have had at least one recommendation partly or fully implemented in the preceding ten years.
(K) any other advisory committee, as defined in section 1001, including a successor to a committee described in this paragraph, that the Government Accountability Office determines, in accordance with subsection (j)— (i) makes recommendations relating to public health to an agency or the President; and (ii) has had any recommendation fully or partially implemented during the 10 years preceding the determination.
The Government Accountability Office would have to publish a list of committees meeting those public health and implementation criteria within 180 days after enactment and annually afterward, subject to the five-year termination provision.
(j) Determination regarding advisory committees Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Royalty Transparency Act, and annually thereafter, the Government Accountability Office shall publish a list of each advisory committee that the Government Accountability Office determines— (1) makes recommendations relating to public health to an agency or the President; and (2) has had any recommendation fully or partially implemented during the 10 years preceding the determination.
Effective on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act
(B) by striking subsection (j).
Five years after enactment, the broader category of committees selected through the Government Accountability Office process would be replaced by a category covering successors to the ten named bodies. The annual committee-list requirement would end; this provision would not terminate the bill's other requirements.
(2) Sunset Effective on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, section 13103 of title 5, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is amended— (A) in subsection (f)(13), by striking subparagraph (K) and inserting the following: (K) a successor to a committee described in subparagraphs (A) through (J) of this paragraph. ; and (B) by striking subsection (j).
For waivers under title 5, section 13103(i), the supervising ethics office would have to notify four congressional committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation; House Oversight and Government Reform; and House Energy and Commerce. The bill does not reproduce the existing conditions for these waivers.
Section 13103(i) of title 5, United States Code, is amended
by striking the supervising ethics office determines and inserting the supervising ethics office— (1) determines
(2) provides notification of such waiver to the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
Exemptions under title 18, section 208(b)(1) or (3), and under subpart (C) of part 2640 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations or a successor regulation would have to be reported immediately to the same four congressional committees, with a detailed justification. The supplied text does not reproduce the underlying exemption rules.
Section 208 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Any exemption— (1) granted under paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (b) shall be immediately reported to the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, including a detailed justification for granting the waiver; or (2) granted under subpart (C) of part 2640 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, shall be immediately reported to the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, including a detailed justification for granting the waiver.
Executive branch officers and employees who file reports, including special Government employees, and the newly covered advisory committee members would have to report the original source and amount or value of royalties from inventions they developed during federal employment. This would include royalties received by their spouses or dependent children during the applicable reporting period, and would apply despite the specified technology-transfer and patent-law provisions.
(C) Royalties received by government employees and committee filers Notwithstanding section 12(c) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a(c)) and section 209 of title 35, if the reporting individual is an officer or employee in the executive branch (including a special Government employee, as defined in section 202 of title 18), or an individual described in section 13103(f)(13), the original source and amount or value of any royalties received by the reporting individual, the spouse of the reporting individual, or a dependent child of the reporting individual during the reporting period described in subsection (d) or (e) of section 13103, as applicable, that were received as a result of an invention developed by the reporting individual in the course of employment of the reporting individual with the United States Government, including any royalty interest payment made under the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–502; 100 Stat. 1785), an amendment made by such Act, or any other applicable authority.
Agencies and offices would have to publish reports covered by title 5, section 13107(b)(1), on their websites, despite the specified technology-transfer and patent-law provisions. The bill would also strike paragraph (2) and the matter following it, and redesignate paragraph (3) as paragraph (2). The existing language is not supplied, so the full effect of those deletions on access rules cannot be determined.
Section 13107(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)— (A) in the first sentence, by inserting and shall, in the case of an agency or office and notwithstanding section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) and section 209 of title 35, publish such report on the internet website of the agency or office, as the case may be after to any person requesting such inspection or copy; and (B) in the second sentence— (i) by inserting , notwithstanding section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a) and section 209 of title 35, after such report shall; and (ii) by inserting and, in the case of an agency or office, published on the internet website of the agency or office, as the case may be, after made available for public inspection
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and the matter following paragraph (2); (3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2)
The proposed addition to section 13107(b) would require an executive branch agency or supervising ethics office to provide a member of Congress with a requested report described as submitted under 'subsection (b)' within 30 days, notwithstanding other law. Reports would be unredacted except for Social Security numbers, birth dates, home and rental property addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, signatures, and dependent children's identifying information. The supplied text does not resolve the intended report coverage of that subsection cross-reference.
(3) Procedure for releasing reports to members of congress Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 30 days after receiving a request from a Member of Congress, any agency or supervising ethics office in the executive branch shall furnish to the Member of Congress a copy of any report submitted under subsection (b), which shall be unredacted, except with respect to social security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, rental property addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, signatures, and the personally identifiable information of dependent children.
Confidential financial reports would have to include the original source and amount or value of invention royalties received by the filer, a spouse, or any dependent child, notwithstanding the specified technology-transfer and patent-law provisions. Unlike the separate reporting provision for executive branch personnel and advisory committee members, this added confidential-report language does not expressly require that the invention have been developed during federal employment.
(b) Royalties received by confidential filers Notwithstanding section 12(c) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a(c)) and section 209 of title 35, the information required to be reported under this section shall include the original source and amount or value of any royalties received by the reporting individual, or the spouse or any dependent child of the reporting individual, that were received as a result of an invention, including any royalty interest payment made under the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–502; 100 Stat. 1785), an amendment made by such Act, or any other applicable authority.
that were received as a result of an invention developed by the reporting individual in the course of employment of the reporting individual with the United States Government
Confidential financial reports would also have to be provided to a requesting member of Congress within 30 days, despite other laws. Reports would be unredacted except for the same listed personal details, including dependent children's identifying information.
(c) Procedure for releasing reports to members of congress Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 30 days after receiving a request from a Member of Congress, any agency or supervising ethics office in the executive branch shall furnish to the Member of Congress a copy of any report submitted under subsection (a), which shall be unredacted, except with respect to social security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, rental property addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, signatures, and the personally identifiable information of dependent children.
Within 60 days after enactment and each year afterward, agency heads would have to report on the preceding fiscal year's confidential financial disclosures to four specified oversight committees. Intelligence agencies would also report to the House and Senate intelligence committees.
(d) Reports Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of the Royalty Transparency Act, and each year thereafter, the head of each agency shall submit to the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and as to each agency within the intelligence community (as that term is defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)), the head of each such agency shall also submit to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, a report relating to confidential financial disclosures of officers and employees under the jurisdiction of such agency for the preceding fiscal year
Agency reports on confidential disclosures would include the number of filers, their agency subdivisions where applicable, reasons for confidential filing, and the number of special Government employees required to file confidentially. The Office of Government Ethics director could determine additional relevant information after consulting the specified congressional committees.
(1) the number of individuals who filed such disclosures with the agency under this section, including, if applicable, the subcomponent of the agency that has jurisdiction over the individual and the reason for filing confidentially; (2) the number of special Government employees, as defined in section 202 of title 18, that are required to file confidential financial disclosure reports with the agency under this section; and (3) any additional information determined to be relevant by the Director of the Office of Government Ethics after consultation with the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
Within 180 days after enactment and annually afterward, each agency would have to publish a royalty report on its website. It would list the names of people who are required to file confidential financial reports and report receiving a royalty interest, along with the original source and amount or value of royalties reported by each covered individual.
(e) Public disclosure of royalties received by certain federal employees (1) Definition For the purposes of this subsection, the term covered individual means an individual who— (A) is required to file a confidential financial disclosure report under this section; and (B) reports receiving a royalty interest under subsection (b). (2) Requirement Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Royalty Transparency Act, and annually thereafter, each agency shall publish a report on the internet website of the agency, listing— (A) the names of all covered individuals; and (B) the original source and amount or value of any royalties reported under this section by each covered individual.
Section 2 would expressly preserve advisory committees' ability to carry out work related to their functions.
(f) Rule of construction Nothing in this section, or any amendment made by this section, shall be construed to limit the ability of an advisory committee, as defined in section 1001 of title 5, United States Code, to conduct work related to the function of the advisory committee.
Section 3 would require the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the Office of Management and Budget to issue or update necessary regulations, as appropriate. Conflict-of-interest reviews of prospective contractors and grant recipients would have to examine royalties paid to them during the preceding calendar year.
(a) In general The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the Office of Management and Budget shall, as appropriate, enact or update any regulation necessary to ensure that conflict of interest reviews for prospective contractors or grantees include reviews of royalties paid to prospective contractors or grantees in the preceding calendar year.
Within one year after enactment and annually afterward, agencies conducting those reviews would have to report the number of potential royalty-related conflicts identified and the steps taken to mitigate them. Reports would go to the four specified oversight committees, with intelligence agencies also reporting to the intelligence committees.
(b) Ongoing reviews Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, each agency conducting any conflict of interest review described in subsection (a) shall report to the Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, and as to each agency within the intelligence community (as that term is defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)), the head of each such agency shall also report to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, on the number of identified cases of potential conflict of interest related to royalty payments and the steps taken to mitigate those cases.
Section 4 would preserve the remaining provisions and their application to other people or circumstances if a provision, amendment, or particular application were held unconstitutional. This states how the bill's provisions should be separated; it does not predict a court ruling.
If any provision of this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or the application of such provision or amendment to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provision or the amendment to any other person or circumstance, shall not be affected.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated December 5, 2025, records introduction in the House on March 5, 2025, and referral that day to the House Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary committees for provisions within their respective jurisdictions. It does not establish subsequent legislative action or enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-05T21:31:59Z.
2025-03-05: Introduced in House
2025-03-05: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-05. 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 after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only 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 after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version; formal earmark disclosures and accompanying materials are not supplied, and absence in those materials or other versions is not established.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied introduced text contains a narrow statutory access exception warranting scrutiny as preferential access. This classification does not imply that the exception is improper.
Members of Congress would receive a special right to obtain confidential financial disclosure reports from executive branch agencies or supervising ethics offices within 30 days of a request, notwithstanding other law. The reports would be unredacted except for the listed personal information. This is a targeted access exception supporting the bill's financial-disclosure and congressional-oversight policy. The finding concerns that express access exception, rather than routine aggregate reporting to oversight committees.
(e) Confidential reports and other additional requirements Section 13109 of title 5, United States Code, is amended
(c) Procedure for releasing reports to members of congress Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 30 days after receiving a request from a Member of Congress, any agency or supervising ethics office in the executive branch shall furnish to the Member of Congress a copy of any report submitted under subsection (a), which shall be unredacted, except with respect to social security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, rental property addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, financial account numbers, signatures, and the personally identifiable information of dependent children.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 5, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI