Bill · H.R. 7003· House(119-HR-7003)
BIS STRENGTH Act
- Introduced
- 1/9/2026
- Last activity
- 4/22/2026 — Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 42 - 2.
- Sponsored by
- Jefferson Shreve
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 3
- Introduced
What this bill would do
The "BIS STRENGTH Act" allows the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security to hire highly qualified experts to fill specific expertise gaps. These experts can be appointed from outside the standard civil service to help the Bureau of Industry and Security fulfill its mandate. The bill sets pay limits based on senior-level positions and limits the service term to five years, with possible one-year extensions. There is a cap of 25 such experts at any given time. The Under Secretary must also submit annual reports to specific congressional committees regarding these appointments. This authority is scheduled to end five years after the act is enacted.
Yes
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+4
The bill requires the Under Secretary to submit annual reports to specific congressional committees regarding expert appointments and their impact.
Is this likely to create jobs?+3
The bill creates up to 25 highly qualified expert positions within the Bureau of Industry and Security.
Would high-income households be better off under this?+2
The bill allows for high-level pay scales that may attract high-earning professionals to government service.
The opposite
Would union members be better off under this?-3
The bill allows for the appointment of personnel from outside the standard civil service, which may bypass traditional union-protected career paths.
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The bill authorizes high-level pay rates for up to 25 experts, which represents a specific new expenditure for the Bureau.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Filling Expertise Gaps: The Under Secretary can conduct annual studies to identify and fill specific expertise gaps that are difficult to fill through traditional civil service, which may help the Bureau effectively fulfill its mandate (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Attracting Talent: The bill allows for the appointment of personnel from outside the civil service to specific positions to attract highly qualified experts (Section 2(a)).
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Competitive Pay: The Under Secretary has the authority to set pay rates for these experts at rates up to the maximum for senior-level positions, including locality-based comparability payments (Section 2(a)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Service Limitations: Employees appointed under this authority are limited to a service term of no more than 5 years, though a one-year extension is possible if necessary for national security or foreign policy (Section 2(b)).
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Pay Caps: Total annual compensation for these employees cannot exceed the maximum amount payable to the Vice President (Section 2(c)).
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Limited Positions: The number of highly qualified experts that can be appointed and retained is strictly limited to a maximum of 25 at any time (Section 2(d)).
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Temporary Authority: The authority granted by this act will cease to be effective 5 years after its enactment (Section 2(h)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+4
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3Reduces Government Spending-1
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For High Income Households+2Good For Union Workers-3
- 4/22/2026
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 42 - 2.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/9/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Julie JohnsonDemocrat · Texas
Sydney Kamlager-DoveDemocrat · California
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Brad ShermanDemocrat · California
Joe WilsonRepublican · South Carolina