HR 7987 United States House · 118th Congress

Plain Language in Contracting Act

This bill requires federal agencies to write contracting notices for small businesses in clear, concise language that follows existing federal plain language guidelines. It directly affects small businesses seeking government contracts by mandating that notices published on the government-wide online portal include key terms to help them quickly identify and understand opportunities. Key provisions include requiring notices to be accessible to small business concerns and directing the Small Business Administration to issue implementing rules within 90 days of enactment. The bill does not create new funding requirements but aims to reduce confusion in federal contracting communications.
Tags: Small Business
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2024
Committee Review
May 2024
House Passage
Apr 2024
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Apr 15, 2024 Last action May 23, 2024
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 2 edits · Apr 29, 2024
MINOR
The changes between the Introduced in House and Engrossed in House versions of HR 7987 (Plain Language in Contracting Act) are entirely formatting and typographical in nature. Spaces were added after section numbers and paragraph designators, and blank lines were inserted for readability. No substantive policy, scope, funding, or eligibility changes were made.
TECHNICAL

Spaces were added after section numbers (2., 3.) and paragraph designators ((a), (b), (c), (d), (1), (2)) throughout the bill for consistent formatting.

Blank lines were inserted after the introductory sentence of section 2(a) and after the rulemaking deadline in section 2(c) to improve visual readability.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
17
Key actions
5
Committee
6
May 23, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Shaheen without amendment. Without written report.
upper
May 22, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
upper
Apr 30, 2024
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
upper
Apr 29, 2024
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2645)
lower
Apr 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported by the Committee on Small Business. H. Rept. 118-471.
lower
Apr 17, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
lower
Apr 15, 2024
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
lower
Apr 15, 2024
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors