The "One Subject at a Time Act" mandates that each bill or joint resolution must focus on a single, clearly titled subject, and it restricts appropriations bills from including unrelated general legislation, allowing legal challenges for violations.
Rand Paul
Senator
KY
The "One Subject at a Time Act" aims to ensure legislative clarity and focus by requiring each bill to address only one subject, clearly stated in its title. It restricts appropriations bills from including unrelated general legislation or changes to existing laws, while allowing limitations on the use of funds. The Act provides legal recourse for those harmed by non-compliant laws or for members of Congress affected by their house's failure to comply with the act, enabling them to sue the U.S. government to stop the law's enforcement. If a law violates this act, the entire law or specific parts may be invalidated.
One Subject at a Time Act: New Bill Forces Congress to Focus on Single Topics, With Legal Teeth
The "One Subject at a Time Act" (SEC. 1) is pretty much what it sounds like. This bill aims to streamline lawmaking by requiring that each bill or joint resolution stick to a single clearly defined topic. That topic must be spelled out in the bill's title (SEC. 2). Think of it like this: no more sneaking unrelated stuff into bills hoping nobody notices.
Keeping Bills on Track
The core of the bill is all about focus. It demands that every law deal with one main issue, and that issue has to be crystal clear from the title. For example, a bill titled "National Parks Improvement Act" can't suddenly include changes to, say, international trade agreements. Those would need their own, separate bills. This applies across the board, but it gets extra specific with appropriations (aka spending) bills. Those bills can only deal with allocating funds – no tacking on unrelated policy changes (SEC. 2). You can have provisions about how the money is spent, but nothing else.
Real-World Impact: No More Legislative Surprises?
Let's say you're a small business owner. Currently, a massive spending bill could slip through with a tiny, buried provision that drastically changes regulations in your industry. You might not even know it's coming. This bill aims to prevent that. By forcing each bill to focus on one subject, it should, in theory, be easier for citizens, businesses, and even other lawmakers to track what's actually being proposed and how it affects them. A farmer, for example, can easily follow a bill about agricultural subsidies without worrying about unrelated amendments on, say, internet infrastructure.
Enforcement and Legal Challenges (SEC. 3)
This is where the bill gets teeth. If a law violates the single-subject rule, the entire law can be invalidated. If only part of a law is off-topic, that specific part gets tossed. And if a spending bill tries to sneak in something it shouldn't, that sneaky provision is null and void. Importantly, anyone harmed by a law that breaks these rules (or even threatened by it), and any member of Congress, can sue the government to challenge it (SEC. 3). The courts are required to give these cases a fresh look, meaning they can't just rely on previous rulings to justify upholding a multi-subject law.
The Big Picture
This bill is all about transparency and accountability. It aims to make it harder for Congress to pass sprawling, complex legislation where important details can get lost or intentionally hidden. The challenge, of course, will be in the details. What exactly counts as a "single subject"? That's likely to be debated (and potentially litigated) if this bill becomes law. But the goal is clear: make laws easier to understand, track, and challenge, potentially leading to more focused and effective government. It prevents those 'pork' provisions or riders from being added to must-pass bills, and allows for legal action if they are.