Bill · H.R. 9769· House(119-HR-9769)
Duty of Transparency Act
- Introduced
- 7/16/2026
- Last activity
- 7/16/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- Sponsored by
- Ritchie Torres
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Duty of Transparency Act requires Members of Congress to provide disclosures when they expect to be away from physical presence for at least 21 consecutive days. Members must file a statement explaining their absence, expected dates, and whether they can still perform duties through remote work. They must also provide contact information for a staff member who can be reached regarding House business. If a Member is unable to comply due to incapacitation, they must file the disclosure within 5 days after the issue resolves. These statements must be updated every 30 days and will be made available to the public online. Failure to follow these rules falls under the jurisdiction of the applicable ethics committee.
Yes
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+8
The bill requires Members of Congress to disclose absences and availability to the public via a website.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Transparency: The bill requires that the designated attending officer make disclosure statements available to the general public on a website no later than 2 calendar days after filing (Section 2(f)).
-
Information on Member Availability: People can learn whether a Member of Congress will be able to perform official duties or responsibilities through remote work during their absence (Section 2(b)(3)).
-
Clear Contact Points: The bill ensures there is a designated individual employed under the Members' Representational Allowance who can be contacted if a need arises regarding the House of Congress (Section 2(b)(4)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Accountability Burdens for Incapacitated Members: A Member who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to comply with the disclosure requirements must file their statement within 5 calendar days after the end of that period (Section 2(c)).
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Ethics Committee Oversight: Failure to comply with the disclosure requirements is considered a matter within the jurisdiction of the applicable ethics committee (Section 2(g)).
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+8
- 10/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/16/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Seth MoultonDemocrat · Massachusetts
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan