PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2] · D–AL
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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 Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Apr 13, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.2046 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 · 2025-03-11 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.
This bill would require federal officials to notify Congress and obtain its approval through a joint resolution before selling, transferring, disposing of, or declaring excess or surplus federally owned historic property. The restriction would cover land, buildings, structures, monuments, and sites that are currently—or have ever been—listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
No specified official may sell, dispose of, declare excess or surplus, transfer, or convey any covered building unless— (1) the specified official provides to Congress a notice of intent to sell, dispose of, declare excess or surplus, transfer, or convey such covered building; and (2) Congress passes a joint resolution approving the sale, disposal, declaration of excess or surplus, transfer, or conveyance of the covered building that was the subject of such notice.
The term covered building means any land, building, structure, monument, or site— (A) that is owned by the United States; and (B) that is or has ever been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Both steps would be mandatory: the official must give Congress notice of the intended action, and Congress must pass a joint resolution approving that action for the property identified in the notice. Notice alone would not satisfy the bill.
No specified official may sell, dispose of, declare excess or surplus, transfer, or convey any covered building unless— (1) the specified official provides to Congress a notice of intent to sell, dispose of, declare excess or surplus, transfer, or convey such covered building; and (2) Congress passes a joint resolution approving the sale, disposal, declaration of excess or surplus, transfer, or conveyance of the covered building that was the subject of such notice.
The proposed restriction would apply to the President, every federal agency head, and all other federal officials.
The term specified official means the President, the head of any Federal agency, and any other Federal official.
Despite using the term “covered building,” the bill would also cover federally owned land, structures, monuments, and sites. A property previously listed on the National Register would remain covered even if it is no longer listed.
The term covered building means any land, building, structure, monument, or site— (A) that is owned by the United States; and (B) that is or has ever been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The supplied action snapshot, updated April 13, 2026, records introduction in the House on March 11, 2025, and referrals that day to the Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure committees and the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Source snapshot updated 2026-04-13T15:06:37Z.
2025-03-11: Introduced in House
2025-03-11: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
2025-03-11: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-11. 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 and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential treatment, carve-out, or special exemption 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.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Apr 13, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI