Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/hr/6622
Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

ID: C001118

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 8.

January 8, 2026

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

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Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce and expose the underlying disease.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2025 (HR 6622) claims to promote transparency in consent decrees and settlement agreements between government agencies and private parties. The bill's sponsors, Mr. Cline and Mr. Tiffany, likely want you to believe this is a noble effort to increase accountability and public participation in the regulatory process.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill introduces several provisions that supposedly enhance transparency:

1. Agencies must publish notices of intent to sue and complaints online within 15 days. 2. Parties cannot enter into consent decrees or settlement agreements until after a public comment period (60 days). 3. Courts must consider motions to intervene from parties who claim their interests are not represented.

These changes might seem reasonable, but let's not be naive. This bill is more about optics than actual reform.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects:

1. Government agencies: They'll have to jump through a few more hoops before entering into consent decrees or settlement agreements. 2. Private parties: Those who bring civil actions against government agencies might see slightly increased transparency, but don't hold your breath. 3. Lobbyists and special interest groups: They'll continue to manipulate the system, using this bill as a smokescreen to further their own agendas.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It won't address the underlying issues of regulatory capture, corruption, or the revolving door between government and industry. Instead, it will:

1. Create more bureaucratic red tape, allowing agencies to delay and obfuscate. 2. Provide a false sense of security for voters, who will think they're getting more transparency when, in reality, they're just getting more spin. 3. Give lobbyists and special interest groups new opportunities to game the system.

In conclusion, HR 6622 is a classic case of "legislative lupus": it appears to address a problem but actually exacerbates it. The real disease here is the corrupting influence of money and power in politics. This bill is just another symptom of that disease, and we're all just pawns in their game.

Diagnosis: Legislative Theater-itis (LT). Prognosis: Poor. Treatment: None available; the patient is terminal.

Related Topics

Transportation & Infrastructure Federal Budget & Appropriations Small Business & Entrepreneurship Government Operations & Accountability National Security & Intelligence State & Local Government Affairs Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Congressional Rules & Procedures Civil Rights & Liberties
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$67,000
13 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$1,000
Committees
$0
Individuals
$66,000

No PAC contributions found

1
THE CHICKASAW NATION
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
JOHNSON, CAMERON MR.
3 transactions
$9,900
2
STOLTZFUS, MICHAEL
2 transactions
$6,600
3
CLINE, JULIA S MRS.
2 transactions
$6,600
4
CARTLEDGE, GEORGE B MR. III
2 transactions
$6,600
5
GOOD, JOHN P JR
2 transactions
$6,600
6
KIRK, JOHN W MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
7
MCNICHOLS, ROBERT MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
8
ROSENBERG, DIANE MS.
1 transaction
$3,300
9
STOLTZFUS, MELISSA
1 transaction
$3,300
10
UIHLEIN, RICHARD MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
11
MCLEOD, JOHN G. MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
12
PEARMAN, JAMES E. MR. JR.
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7]

ID: T000165

Top Contributors

10

1
ISLAND CATTLE COMPANY
Organization LONG ISLAND, KS
$2,500
May 29, 2024
2
HANDEK CATTLE INC
Organization MUSHOTACH, KS
$300
May 7, 2024
3
SOLBERG, TRYGVE A
SELF BUSINESS OWNER
Individual MINOCQUA, WI
$13,200
Sep 30, 2023
4
SHANNON, JEAN L
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual MILWAUKEE, WI
$13,200
Jul 27, 2023
5
NICKLAUS, GREG
INCREDIBLE BANK VICE CHAIRMAN
Individual ARBOR VITAE, WI
$13,200
Mar 31, 2024
6
NICKLAUS, GREG
INCREDIBLE BANK VICE CHAIRMAN
Individual ARBOR VITAE, WI
$13,200
Mar 31, 2024
7
BUHOLZER, RONALD
KLONDIKE CHEESE PRESIDENT
Individual MONROE, WI
$13,200
Jun 30, 2024
8
MAYER, SCOTT A
QPS EMPLOYMENT GROUP CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Individual FRANKLIN, WI
$10,000
Feb 29, 2024
9
HILGEMANN, WILLIAM
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual STRATFORD, WI
$9,900
Jun 30, 2024
10
ZIETLOW, DONALD P
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual LA CROSSE, WI
$6,666
Jun 28, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 18 nodes and 24 connections

Total contributions: $83,000

Top Donors - Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]

Showing top 13 donors by contribution amount

1 Org12 Individuals