Contracting America First Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 7604Government Operations and Politics

Contracting America First Act

INTRO FEB 20· LAST ACTION FEB 20

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Passed Senate

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Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

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Voters should care about this bill because it directly addresses concerns about national security and the protection of sensitive personal data for federal employees. If this bill becomes law, it could reduce the risk of foreign entities accessing or compromising critical government employee information, potentially preventing identity theft or other harms to federal workers.

However, it could also limit the pool of available software providers for federal agencies, potentially leading to higher costs or less innovative solutions if foreign-owned companies offer superior or more cost-effective options. If it doesn't become law, federal agencies would continue to have the flexibility to contract with internationally owned software companies for these systems, maintaining a broader market but potentially leaving open perceived security vulnerabilities.

KEY PROVISIONS

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PROVISION 01

Prohibits federal agencies from contracting with internationally owned software companies for 'covered software systems.'

This directly restricts which companies can handle sensitive federal employee data, aiming to enhance national security.

PROVISION 02

Requires companies bidding on covered software system contracts to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are not an internationally owned software company.

This provision creates a legal obligation for transparency and accountability regarding company ownership.

PROVISION 03

Allows an agency head to waive the prohibition on a case-by-case basis if necessary for national security, with a written justification to Congress.

This provides essential flexibility in extreme cases where a foreign-owned solution might be critical for national security.

PROVISION 04

Allows agencies to terminate contracts and pursue penalties, including debarment, if a contractor violates the prohibition or provides false certification.

This ensures there are clear consequences for non-compliance, strengthening the bill's enforcement.

PROVISION 05

Defines an 'internationally owned software company' as one with majority ownership by non-U.S. citizens and a 'covered software system' as one handling sensitive personal information for 500+ federal employees.

These definitions clearly outline the scope of the prohibition and to whom it applies, preventing ambiguity.

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1 + 0

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 20

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 20

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 7604

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 20, 2026

Last actionFeb 20, 2026

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 20, 2026

House BillHR 7604Government Operations and Politics

Contracting America First Act

INTRODUCED FEB 20, 2026· LAST ACTION FEB 20, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

2 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Prohibits federal agencies from contracting with internationally owned software companies for 'covered software systems.'

This directly restricts which companies can handle sensitive federal employee data, aiming to enhance national security.

med

Requires companies bidding on covered software system contracts to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are not an internationally owned software company.

This provision creates a legal obligation for transparency and accountability regarding company ownership.

high

Allows an agency head to waive the prohibition on a case-by-case basis if necessary for national security, with a written justification to Congress.

This provides essential flexibility in extreme cases where a foreign-owned solution might be critical for national security.

med

Allows agencies to terminate contracts and pursue penalties, including debarment, if a contractor violates the prohibition or provides false certification.

This ensures there are clear consequences for non-compliance, strengthening the bill's enforcement.

med

These definitions clearly outline the scope of the prohibition and to whom it applies, preventing ambiguity.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) must be amended to implement the Act.

Not later than 30 days after granting the waiver

Written justification for a waiver must be submitted to appropriate congressional committees.

PENALTIES & ENFORCEMENT

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

TYPE	AMOUNT	WHO
administrative	Contract termination for default or for convenience	Contractor that violates the prohibition or knowingly provides a false certification
administrative	Debarment or suspension from future Federal contracting	Contractor that violates the prohibition or knowingly provides a false certification
criminal	Punishments under penalty of perjury	Offeror who falsely certifies their company is not internationally owned

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Internationally owned software company: A company, or any of its parts, where more than half of the ownership is held by individuals who are not citizens of the United States.
Covered software system: A computer program or set of programs that stores, processes, or allows access to private information of 500 or more federal government employees or officials.
Sensitive personal information: Private data like Social Security numbers, medical records, or other personal details that could lead to identity theft, personal harm, or a national security risk if it were accessed without permission.
Agency: A department or part of the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, such as the Department of Defense or the Department of Health and Human Services.
Offeror: A company or individual that submits a proposal or bid to the government in response to a request for a contract.
Penalty of perjury: A legal warning meaning that if you lie or provide false information under oath or in a certified statement, you could face criminal charges and penalties.
Debarment or suspension

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 20

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 20

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

INTROREFERRAL

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Oversight and Government Reform CommitteeReferred

Feb 20, 2026

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Contracting America First Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

SPONSORSHIP

ACTION TIMELINE

BILL INFO

READER REACTIONS

Discussion

Contracting America First Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

DEADLINES & DATES

PENALTIES & ENFORCEMENT

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

SPONSORS

READER REACTIONS

What do you think?

Discussion

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