Congressional Oversight Access Act
Sponsored By: Representative Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
Introduced
Summary
Would ban executive-branch officers, agents, contractors, and employees from using physical force against Members of Congress while those Members are conducting official oversight activities. It defines when that protection applies and narrows two exceptions to keep security screenings and responses to clear, imminent threats in place.
Show full summary
- Members of Congress would be protected from being detained, removed, or otherwise physically interfered with while conducting oversight on federally controlled property if they present valid congressional ID or identify themselves and do not pose an imminent threat.
- Executive branch officers, agents, contractors, and employees would be explicitly prohibited from using force during covered oversight activities, which the bill defines to include reviews, investigations, visits, and supervision.
- Federally controlled property is defined broadly to include buildings, leased sites, detention centers, and field-control sites, and the bill keeps routine security checks and force for clear, imminent threats allowed.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Limits force on Congress during oversight
If enacted, executive branch staff would be barred from using physical force, detaining, removing, or otherwise physically interfering with a Member of Congress during oversight. This would apply only when the Member is doing official oversight work, shows valid congressional ID, and is on federally controlled property. Covered sites would include federal buildings, leased or contracted facilities, detention centers, and field-control locations. It would not apply if the Member poses a clear and imminent threat to people or property. It also would not exempt Members from lawful security screening or normal building access checks.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 8/8/2025
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 8/8/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov