Bill · H.R. 5235· House(119-HR-5235)
Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 9/9/2025
- Last activity
- 9/30/2026 — Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5295)
- Sponsored by
- Nancy Mace
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 2
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act of 2025. It stops contract solicitations from setting minimum education requirements for proposed contractor personnel unless a specific written justification is provided. Contracting officers must explain why the executive agency's needs cannot be met without these education requirements and clarify how the requirement ensures those needs are met. The Office of Management and Budget is required to issue guidance for implementing this change within 180 days. The Comptroller General must also submit an evaluation of executive agency compliance to Congress within three years.
Yes· 3 of 25
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+5
Removes an expensive educational barrier to high-quality employment in federal contracting.
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?+5
Veterans often have high-level skills from service that may not translate to traditional college degrees.
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?+4
Young professionals entering the workforce without degrees can access higher-paying federal contract roles.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 2, adding Sec. 3313(a): Prohibits solicitations from setting a minimum education requirement for proposed contractor personnel unless a written justification explains why the requirement is necessary. This could benefit workers who have relevant skills or experience rather than formal degrees by opening up contract opportunities that might have previously required a specific degree.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2, adding Sec. 3313(a): Allows solicitations to still set minimum education requirements if the contracting officer includes a written justification explaining why the agency's needs cannot be met without it. This could be viewed as a burden or negative if agencies continue to rely on education requirements and paperwork justifications rather than fully opening opportunities to non-degree holders.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Veterans+5Good For Young Adults+4Good For African Americans+3Good For Business Owners+3Good For Hispanic Americans+3Good For Middle Aged+3Good For Native Americans+3Good For Union Workers+3Good For Immigrants+2Good For Middle Class Households+2Good For People With Disabilities+2Good For Rural Residents+2Good For Asian Americans+1Good For L G B T Q Community+1Good For Men+1Good For Urban Residents+1Good For White Americans+1Good For Women+1
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Improves Small Business Support+2Improves Economic Growth+1
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+3Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+1
- Enrolled Bill
The final version, on its way to the President
What changed from Reported to Senate: No change to the wording. Only the printed details that record the bill’s progress, such as the heading and dates, are different.
- 9/30/2026
- Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5295)
- 9/14/2026
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Paul without amendment. Without written report.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 571.
- 8/6/2026
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2/24/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2/23/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2247)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2247)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5235.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2247-2248)
- Mr. Timmons moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 12/16/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/2/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.
- 9/9/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marie PerezDemocrat · Washington
Raja KrishnamoorthiDemocrat · Illinois