HR 5528 United States House · 118th Congress

Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act

The Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act (HR 5528) requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to evaluate whether federal agencies' use of the "lowest price technically acceptable" procurement method creates national security risks. This review specifically examines agency practices under Federal Acquisition Regulation section 15.101-2. Within 180 days of enactment, OMB must submit a report to the House Oversight Committee and Senate Homeland Security Committee detailing its findings. The bill does not change procurement rules but mandates this assessment to inform future policy decisions.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Sep 2023

Committee Review

Dec 2024

House Passage

Jan 2024

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Sep 18, 2023 Last action Dec 2, 2024

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Jan 29, 2024

MODERATE

The bill was narrowed in scope from covering all federal agencies to specifically 'Defense and Civilian agencies' only. The language was also shifted from 'evaluate procurement activities' to 'review procurement management practices,' which may imply a less rigorous analytical process. These changes reduce the breadth of the OMB Director's mandate under the act.

SCOPE

The scope of covered entities was narrowed from 'each agency' (all federal agencies) to 'Defense and Civilian agencies,' limiting which organizations must be reviewed for national security risks related to lowest price technically acceptable source selection.

REQUIREMENT

The Director's task was changed from 'evaluate the procurement activities' to 'review the procurement management practices,' shifting both the verb (from evaluate to review) and the object (from procurement activities to procurement management practices), potentially narrowing what is examined.

DEFINITION

The defined term 'Agency' was replaced with 'Defense and Civilian Agency,' formally codifying the narrower scope in the definitions section.

TECHNICAL

The short title dropped 'of 2023,' a minor formatting change to avoid dating the act to a specific year.

Floor votes · House Jan 29, 2024

How they voted

397–0

Passed · 34 other

Total votes 431

Jan 29, 2024

D Democratic213

200 Yea 13

93% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican217

196 Yea 21

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Dec 2, 2024

Upper · Passed

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Peters without amendment. With written report No. 118-258.

upper

May 15, 2024

Upper · Passed

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

upper

Jan 30, 2024

Committee

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

upper

Jan 29, 2024

Introduced

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

lower

Jan 29, 2024

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 397 - 0 (Roll no. 20). (text: CR H257-258)

lower

Jan 29, 2024

Lower · Passed

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): 397 - 0 (Roll no. 20). (text: CR H257-258)

lower

Jan 29, 2024

Introduced

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

lower

Sep 20, 2023

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 0.

lower

Sep 20, 2023

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Sep 18, 2023

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

lower

Sep 18, 2023

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors