STOP Act

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 11, 2009

Stop Taxpayer-Offensive Practices Act of 2009 or the STOP Act - Amends the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) to instruct the Secretary of the Treasury to establish policies which prohibit excessive or luxury expenditures by any recipient of assistance under such Act in connection with: (1) entertainment or events; (2) office and facility renovations; (3) aviation or other transportation service; and (4) any other activity or event that is not a reasonable expenditure for any conference, staff development, performance incentive.

Requires the board of directors of each recipient to establish company-wide policies for limiting excessive or luxury expenditures that are not inconsistent with the policies established by the Secretary.

States that any policy established by the Secretary or any board of directors that is applicable to any recipient of EESA assistance remains effective while the assistance remains outstanding.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Hare, Phil [D-IL-17] · D–IL

Committees

Financial Services Committee

14 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

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Feb 11, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Feb 11, 2009
Introduced in House
Feb 11, 2009
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Introduced in House · Feb 11, 2009 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

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 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.979 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.979, 111th Congress: STOP Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-02-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr979/BILLS-111hr979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:18Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.979 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.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.979 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.979, 111th Congress: STOP Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-02-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr979/BILLS-111hr979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:18Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.979 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.979 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.979, 111th Congress: STOP Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-02-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr979/BILLS-111hr979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:18Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.979 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.979 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.979, 111th Congress: STOP Act

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/979

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-02-11.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr979/BILLS-111hr979ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-14T16:15:18Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.979 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.