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H.R.4394 / 108th Congress

Accountability and Responsibility in Contracting Act

Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 19, 2004

Accountability and Responsibility in Contracting Act - Prohibits any acquiring corporation or any subsidiary of any such a corporation that enters into a corporate expatriation transaction (as defined by this Act) from being eligible to be awarded a Federal contract for a three-year period, unless the acquiring corporation reorganizes as a domestic corporation under the applicable incorporation laws of a State.

Prohibits any entity and any entity with a foreign subsidiary doing business with a state sponsor of terrorism or foreign terrorist organization from being eligible to be awarded a Federal contract for a period of: (1) three years for a first offense; (2) ten years for a second offense; and (3) 15 years for any offense after a second offense.

Directs each executive agency to require certification from a current contractor that the contractor, the contractor's domestic parent company and all other domestic subsidiaries of the parent did not do business, and did not own a foreign subsidiary that did business, during the ten-year period ending on this Act's enactment with such a state sponsor or organization.

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Directs each executive agency to require certification from a potential contractor, that the potential contractor, the potential contractor's domestic parent company, and all other domestic subsidiaries of the parent is not doing business, and does not own a foreign subsidiary that is doing business, or has done business within the last ten years, with such a state sponsor or organization. Permits citizens to file complaints with executive agencies regarding Federal contractors and requires annual reporting on the complaints to Congress.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH-13] · D–OH

Committees

  • Oversight and Government Reform Committee
10 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the House Committee on Government Reform.

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.R.4394 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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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

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