United States 115th Congress ✓ Enacted · P.L. 115-40 1 R cosponsors

HR 657 — Follow the Rules Act

Last action — Became Public Law No: 115-40.

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 24, 2017. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high 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

Advancing 52% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

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

In plain language

The bill extends protections against certain prohibited personnel practices.

The Follow the Rules Act amends U.S. law to prohibit personnel actions based on orders that violate rules or regulations. It aims to enhance protections for employees against retaliation for not following unlawful directives.

Summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 29, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Follow the Rules Act (Sec. 2) This bill extends the prohibition against a person taking, failing to take, or threatening to take or fail to take a personnel action against any employee or applicant for employment for refusing to obey an order that would require the individual to violate a law to personnel actions against such an individual for refusing to obey an order that would violate a rule or regulation.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

19 added · 21 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment replaces references to the bill’s status and its journey through Congress with a note indicating the approval date and a legislative history section. This change clarifies the bill's enactment as Public Law 115-40 and provides a formal record of its legislative history, which may help in understanding its context and acceptance in Congress.

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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress] [From the U.S.
[115th Congress Public Law 40] [From the U.S.
Government Publishing Office] [H.R.
Government Publishing Office] [[Page 131 STAT.
657 Referred in Senate (RFS)] <DOC> 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H.
861]] Public Law 115-40 115th Congress An Act To amend title 5, United States Code, to extend certain protections against prohibited personnel practices, and for other purposes.
R.
<<NOTE:
657 _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 2, 2017 Received;
June 14, 2017 - [H.R.
read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend title 5, United States Code, to extend certain protections against prohibited personnel practices, and for other purposes.
657]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
Follow the Rules Act.
5 USC 101 note.>> SECTION 1.
Passed the House of Representatives May 1, 2017.
Approved June 14, 2017.
Attest:
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R.
KAREN L.
657:
HAAS, Clerk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOUSE REPORTS:
No.
115-67 (Comm.
on Oversight and Government Reform).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol.
163 (2017):
May 1, considered and passed House.
May 25, considered and passed Senate.
<all>
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View plain text versions (6)

How this bill changes current law

2 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends the definition of prohibited personnel practices to include protections against violations related to laws, rules, or regulations.

  • 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9)

    for

    This change removes the word 'for' from the provision.

  • 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(9)(D)

    rule, or regulation

    This change adds 'rule, or regulation' after 'law' in the context of prohibited personnel practices.

Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

  4. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  5. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

  6. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 115-67.

  7. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 115-67.

  8. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 38.

  9. Mr. Comer moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  10. Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2983-2984)

  11. DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 657.

  12. 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.

  13. Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2989)

  14. Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 407 - 0 (Roll no. 239).(text: CR H2983)

  15. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 407 - 0 (Roll no. 239). (text: CR H2983)

  16. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  17. Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

  18. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S3226-3227)

  19. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S3226-3227)

  20. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  21. Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  22. Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  23. Presented to President.

  24. Presented to President.

  25. Signed by President.

  26. Signed by President.

  27. Became Public Law No: 115-40.

  28. Became Public Law No: 115-40.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 546 →

"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

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Frequently asked questions

What does HR 657 do?
(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 29, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Follow the Rules Act (Sec. 2) This bill extends the prohibition against a person taking, failing to take, or threatening to take or fail to take a personnel action against any employee or applicant for employment for refusing to obey an order that would require the individual to violate a law to personnel actions against such an individual for refusing to obey an order that would violate a rule or regulation.
Who sponsors HR 657?
HR 657 is sponsored by Duffy, Sean P. (Republican).
What is the current status of HR 657?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 24, 2017. Enacted.
Where can I track HR 657?
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