Bill Summary
The "Federal Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention Act of 2025" seeks to enhance the integrity of federal programs by prohibiting individuals convicted of certain federal felonies from participating in federal contracts and funding opportunities. Specifically, the legislation amends Title 41 of the United States Code to create a new section that establishes a System for Award Management Exclusions list, which will identify these individuals as "excluded sources."
Key components of the legislation include:
1. **Exclusion Criteria**: Individuals convicted of specific felonies related to federal contracts, grants, or financial assistance will be barred from receiving such funds for three years following their conviction.
2. **Notification Process**: The Attorney General is tasked with notifying the General Services Administrator of any convictions, ensuring timely updates to the exclusion list.
3. **Waiver Provision**: Agency heads can grant waivers to individuals under certain circumstances, provided they document the reasoning and inform Congress.
4. **Guidance Issuance**: The Attorney General, in collaboration with the General Services Administrator, must provide guidance on the implementation and compliance with these new requirements within one year of enactment.
The overall goal of the Act is to protect federal funds and ensure that individuals with a history of fraud or related felonies do not exploit federal programs.
Possible Impacts
The "Federal Program Integrity and Fraud Prevention Act of 2025" could affect people in several ways:
1. **Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Felony Convictions**: The legislation prohibits individuals convicted of certain federal felonies related to federal programs from participating in federal contracting and grant opportunities. This can significantly limit job opportunities for those individuals, making it more challenging for them to find employment in sectors that rely on federal funding, thereby impacting their economic stability and reintegration into society.
2. **Increased Scrutiny of Federal Contracts**: The act introduces a system where individuals convicted of specified felonies will be automatically listed as excluded sources from federal contracts. This may lead to heightened scrutiny on contractors and organizations that work with federal funds, as they will need to ensure compliance with the new regulations. This could result in increased administrative costs and the potential for delays in contracting processes.
3. **Judicial and Administrative Implications**: The requirement for the Attorney General to notify the Administrator of General Services about felony convictions could lead to a more efficient tracking system for individuals disqualified from federal programs. This might improve accountability and integrity within federal spending, but it could also raise concerns about privacy and the long-term impact on individuals' lives who are trying to move past their convictions. Additionally, the provision for waivers by agency heads could lead to inconsistent applications of the law, potentially leaving some individuals without recourse.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6916 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6916
To amend title 41, United States Code, to identify individuals who
commit certain Federal felonies implicating Federal programs as an
excluded source on the System for Award Management Exclusions list, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 19, 2025
Mr. Self (for himself and Ms. Randall) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 41, United States Code, to identify individuals who
commit certain Federal felonies implicating Federal programs as an
excluded source on the System for Award Management Exclusions list, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Program Integrity and Fraud
Prevention Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. EXCLUSION OF FELONY FRAUD CONVICTS TO PROTECT FEDERAL FUNDS.
(a) Procurement Integrity.--Chapter 47 of title 41, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 4715. Protecting Federal funds from individuals convicted of
certain Federal felonies
``(a) Prohibition.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (b), an
individual who is convicted of a covered felony arising out of
any agency contract, grant, cooperative agreement, loan, or
other financial assistance shall be identified as an excluded
source on the System for Award Management Exclusions list
described in part 9 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations,
and part 180 of title 2 of such Code, or successor regulations.
``(2) Notification of conviction.--For each individual
convicted of a covered felony, the Attorney General shall
notify the Administrator of General Services in a timely manner
of such conviction and the Administrator shall promptly enter
the 3-year prohibition for such person into the System for
Award Management, or any successor system.
``(b) Waiver.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), the agency head may
exempt an individual described in subsection (a)(1) from the
prohibition under such subsection for a case in which the agency head
determines in writing that the exemption is warranted. The agency head
shall transmit a copy of each such written exemption to Congress
immediately after making such determination.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Agency.--The term `agency' means an Executive
department (as defined under section 101 of title 5), a
military department (as defined under section 102 of title 5),
a Government corporation (as defined under section 103 of title
5), and an independent establishment (as defined under section
104(1) of title 5).
``(2) Convicted.--The term `convicted' means--
``(A) a judgment of conviction has been entered
against the individual by a Federal court;
``(B) there has been a finding of guilt against the
individual by a Federal court;
``(C) a plea of guilty or nolo contendere by the
individual has been accepted by a Federal court; or
``(D) the individual has entered into a first
offender, deferred adjudication, deferred prosecution,
or other arrangement or program in which judgment or
conviction has been withheld.
``(3) Covered felony.--The term `covered felony' means a
felony described under section 286, 287, 371, 641, 666, 1001,
1014, 1017, 1028, 1028A, 1030, 1031, 1040(a)(2), 1341, 1343,
1344, 1345, 1349, 1956, and 1957 of title 18 and section 16 of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 645).
``(d) Rules of Construction.--
``(1) Federal interests.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to prohibit an agency from seeking or taking any
other available criminal, civil, or administrative action to
protect Federal Government interests, including the proposal or
implementation of suspension or debarment actions pursuant to
subpart 9.4 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, and part
180 of title 2 of such Code.
``(2) Exclusion.--Nothing in subsection (b) may be
construed to affect any other statutory or regulatory waiver
authority related to an exclusion.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 47 of
title 41, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``4715. Protecting Federal funds from individuals convicted of certain
Federal felonies.''.
SEC. 3. GUIDANCE.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Attorney General, in consultation with the Administrator of General
Services, shall issue guidance for the implementation of, and
compliance with, the requirements of section 4715 of title 41, United
States Code, as added by section 2.
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