Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6329
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-25: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-28T06:38:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the use of high-quality information by federal agencies when creating or explaining rules and guidance documents. It focuses on ensuring that agencies rely on the best available scientific, technical, demographic, economic, and statistical data, while promoting transparency so the public can understand the basis for these decisions.
Key Provisions
- Updates to Guidelines: Within one year of enactment, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must revise existing guidelines under the Information Quality Act (IQA, a 2001 law requiring accurate federal information). These updates will guide agencies on ensuring the quality, objectivity, usefulness, and integrity of "influential information" (data that significantly affects public policies, actions, or private decisions) used in rules or guidance.
- Agency Responsibilities: Within one year after OMB's updates, each federal agency must:
- Revise its own IQA guidelines to prioritize the best "fit-for-purpose" (suitable and reliable) information for influential data.
- Publish these revised guidelines on their websites.
- Maintain processes for the public to request corrections to inaccurate influential information used in rules or guidance.
- Report annually on complaints about the accuracy of such information.
- Public Disclosure Requirements: Agencies must make key supporting materials publicly available:
- Include "critical factual material" (essential data relied upon) and citations to sources (including public comments) in the public docket for rules or administrative records for guidance.
- Provide this information as early as possible, with notice and comment opportunities if the process involves public input.
- If material is revised before finalizing a rule or guidance, the update must be shared promptly.
- Format materials as "open Government data assets" (machine-readable, publicly accessible data) where possible.
- Exceptions and Limitations: Disclosure is not required for information protected by law (e.g., privacy laws like the Freedom of Information Act exemptions, or intellectual property rights). Agencies must explain any non-disclosures and describe efforts to increase access. Implementation considers costs and uses existing resources—no new funding is authorized.
- Definitions:
- Evidence: As defined in existing law (section 3561 of title 44, U.S. Code), meaning information used to support decisions.
- Influential information or evidence: Data that an agency determines will have a clear and substantial impact on public policies or private decisions.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Builds on the IQA (2001) by expanding its scope to specifically target influential information in rulemaking and guidance, requiring proactive use of the "best reasonably available" data.
- Aligns with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, which promotes data-driven decisions, but adds mandatory public disclosure of supporting materials in dockets and records.
- Introduces timelines for updates (1 year for OMB and agencies) and new reporting on correction complaints, which were not as detailed in prior law.
- Adds a new section (3522) to title 44, U.S. Code, without altering core IQA mechanisms but enhancing transparency and accountability.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases administrative workload for documenting and disclosing data, potentially slowing rulemaking but improving decision-making quality. Agencies must integrate these steps using current budgets, which could strain resources in smaller offices.
- On Citizens: Enhances public access to the evidence behind regulations, allowing better scrutiny, participation in comment periods, and requests for corrections. This could lead to more informed public discourse and fewer challenges to rules based on perceived inaccuracies.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though improved transparency in U.S. regulatory processes may indirectly build trust with international partners relying on U.S. standards (e.g., in trade or environmental rules).
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Agencies: All executive branch agencies issuing rules or guidance (e.g., EPA, FDA, DOJ) must comply, with heads responsible for updates and disclosures.
- Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Leads guideline revisions and oversees implementation.
- The Public and Civil Society: Citizens, advocacy groups, and researchers gain better access to data, enabling challenges to flawed information.
- Private Sector: Businesses and organizations affected by rules (e.g., in healthcare, environment, or finance) benefit from clearer rationales, potentially reducing litigation over opaque decisions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces the Administrative Procedure Act's notice-and-comment requirements by mandating early disclosure of factual bases, which could strengthen judicial reviews of agency actions under standards like "arbitrary and capricious" (a legal test for whether decisions are reasonable). Balances transparency with protections for sensitive data under laws like the Freedom of Information Act.
- Constitutional: Supports First Amendment values by promoting public access to government information, without raising free speech concerns. No direct impact on due process or equal protection.
- Political: Encourages evidence-based governance, potentially reducing politicization of science in regulations. As a bipartisan tool for accountability, it may face implementation debates over costs and exceptions, but its no-new-funds clause limits fiscal controversy. Passed by the House in 2026 and referred to Senate committee, indicating ongoing legislative focus on regulatory reform.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. McClain, Lisa C. [R-MI-9]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-25: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2026-02-24: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2026-02-24: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 362 - 1 (Roll no. 71). (Roll call 71)
- 2026-02-24: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 362 - 1 (Roll no. 71). (Roll call 71)
- 2026-02-24: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2276-2277)
- 2026-02-23: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- 2026-02-23: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6329.
- 2026-02-23: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2245-2247; text: CR H2245-2246)
- 2026-02-23: Mr. Timmons moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 2025-12-02: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 0.
- 2025-12-02: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-12-01: 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.
- 2025-12-01: 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.
- 2025-12-01: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-01: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025 — issued 2026-02-24 — PDF (12 pages)
- Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-01 — PDF (10 pages)
- Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025 — issued 2026-02-25 — PDF (10 pages)