To make improvements in the enactment of title 41, United States Code, into a positive law title and to improve the Code.

Bill Number

H.R. 5185

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-09-10: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Last Updated

2026-03-16T19:03:12Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation The bill updates and improves the U.S. Code following the enactment of title 41 (Public Contracts) as positive law. Its core goal is to replace outdated references to repealed or reorganized statutes—such as the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, and the Contract Disputes Act of 1978—with accurate cross-references to the current positive-law provisions in title 41 and related titles.

Key Provisions Outlined

• Sections 3–29 and 31–40 amend cross-references in 38 other titles of the U.S. Code (titles 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14–16, 18–26, 28–31, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42–46, 48–52).
• Section 30 makes technical corrections and additions within title 41 itself, including new definitions, a new chapter on finality of administrative decisions, and updated tables of contents.
• Common substitutions include:
• References to “section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5)” → “section 6101 of title 41.”
• References to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 → “chapter 5 of title 40” or “the provisions referred to in section 171(b) and (c) of title 41.”
• References to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act → “the provisions referred to in section 172(b) of title 41.”
• References to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 → “chapter 71 of title 41.”
• The bill also corrects minor errors (e.g., spelling, subsection citations) and repeals certain obsolete transition provisions.

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced

• Converts obsolete statutory citations into positive-law form, eliminating reliance on repealed or reorganized source acts.
• Introduces a new subchapter in title 41 (chapter 73) addressing finality of administrative decisions in contracts not covered by chapter 71.
• Standardizes terminology across the Code (e.g., “executive agency,” “property”) to align with title 40 and title 41 definitions.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies: Simplifies compliance and legal research for procurement, contracting, and dispute-resolution offices by providing a single, consistent set of references.
• Citizens and businesses: Improves clarity for contractors, small businesses, and the public when locating current procurement rules.
• International relations: No direct effect; the changes are purely domestic and technical.
• Overall, the bill reduces the risk of citation errors and supports ongoing Code improvement without altering substantive legal obligations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal procurement and contracting offices (e.g., GSA, DOD, civilian agencies).
• Congress and the Office of the Law Revision Counsel (responsible for Code maintenance).
• Legal practitioners, contractors, and small businesses that rely on accurate statutory citations.
• Boards of contract appeals and other administrative tribunals.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The legislation is technical and non-substantive; it does not expand or contract federal authority.
• It advances the long-term congressional policy of codifying statutes into positive-law titles, enhancing accessibility and reducing reliance on historical source acts.
• No constitutional issues are raised; the bill operates within Congress’s authority to revise and codify federal statutes.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]

Recent Actions

• 2025-09-10: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
• 2025-09-10: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
• 2025-09-08: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2025-09-08: Introduced in House
• 2025-09-08: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• H.R. 5185 (IH) - Introduced in House — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (65 pages)