United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee 4 R cosponsors

S 81 — Guidance Clarity Act of 2025

Last action — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 250.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced January 13, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Stalled 22% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    1 primary, 3 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 R).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Guidance Clarity Act of 2025This bill requires federal agencies to state on the first page of guidance documents that such guidance (1) does not have the force and effect of law, and (2) is intended only to provide clarity to the public about existing legal requirements or agency policies.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

35 added · 6 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to S 81 makes changes to the introductory sections of the bill by removing the short title and the specific requirements for a guidance clarity statement. It expands the scope by including the Director of the Office of Management and Budget's role in issuing guidance related to the clarity statements. This means that the implementation of clarity statements by agencies is linked to guidance provided by the Director, potentially affecting how agencies present their guidance documents in the future.

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81 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
81 Reported in Senate (RS)] <DOC> Calendar No.
250 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
Lankford (for himself and Mr.
Lankford (for himself, Mr.
Johnson) introduced the following bill;
Johnson, and Mrs.
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require a guidance clarity statement on certain agency guidance, and for other purposes.
Moody) introduced the following bill;
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs November 3, 2025 Reported by Mr.
Paul, with an amendment [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require a guidance clarity statement on certain agency guidance, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <DELETED>SECTION 1.
SHORT TITLE.</DELETED> <DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Guidance Clarity Act of 2025''.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.
2.
GUIDANCE CLARITY STATEMENT REQUIRED.</DELETED> <DELETED> (a) Requirement.--Each agency, as defined in section 551 of title 5, United States Code, shall include a guidance clarity statement as described in subsection (b) on any guidance issued by that agency under section 553(b)(3)(A) of title 5, United States Code, on and after the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Director of the Office of Management and Budget issues the guidance required under subsection (c).</DELETED> <DELETED> (b) Guidance Clarity Statement.--A guidance clarity statement required under subsection (a) shall--</DELETED> <DELETED> (1) be displayed prominently on the first page of the document;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) include the following:
``The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and do not, of themselves, bind the public or the agency.
This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.''.</DELETED> <DELETED> (c) OMB Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall issue guidance to implement this Act.</DELETED> SECTION 1.
(a) Requirement.--Each agency, as defined in section 551 of title 5, United States Code, shall include a guidance clarity statement as described in subsection (b) on any guidance issued by that agency under section 553(b)(3)(A) of title 5, United States Code, on and after the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Director of the Office of Management and Budget issues the guidance required under subsection (c).
(a) Requirement.--Each agency, as defined in section 551 of title 5, United States Code, shall include a guidance clarity statement as described in subsection (b) on any guidance issued by that agency under section 553(b)(4)(A) of title 5, United States Code, on and after the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Director of the Office of Management and Budget issues the guidance required under subsection (c).
<all>
Calendar No.
250 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
81 _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require a guidance clarity statement on certain agency guidance, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________ November 3, 2025 Reported with an amendment
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Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

  3. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

  4. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  5. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  6. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 250.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 543 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (543)

543 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 543 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 81 do?
Guidance Clarity Act of 2025This bill requires federal agencies to state on the first page of guidance documents that such guidance (1) does not have the force and effect of law, and (2) is intended only to provide clarity to the public about existing legal requirements or agency policies.
Who sponsors S 81?
S 81 is sponsored by Lankford, James (Republican), Johnson, Ron (Republican), Moody, Ashley (Republican), and Scott, Rick (Republican).
What is the current status of S 81?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced January 13, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 81?
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