Bills · HRES 316
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House Res.HRES 316House of RepresentativesCongressional-executive branch relations
Of inquiry requesting the President to transmit certain documents relating to the use of insecure electronic communication platforms, including Signal, for official communications and to the compliance of the Administration with all Federal records laws.
INTRO APR 9· LAST ACTION APR 30
READING
2MIN
COSPONSORS
20
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Non-binding
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenVoters should care about this bill because it's about government transparency and accountability in the digital age. As government officials increasingly use various messaging apps for their work, it becomes critical to ensure that all official communications, particularly those involving national security, are properly recorded and preserved.
If these records are not kept, it could hide important government actions from public view, hinder future oversight, and potentially create security vulnerabilities for sensitive information. This bill aims to shed light on whether the current administration is upholding its legal duty to maintain a complete and accurate record of its official activities. If the documents show non-compliance, it could prompt further action to improve record-keeping practices and protect national security information.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Requests documents detailing the administration's plan to save all official communications, including sensitive national security information, sent through various electronic platforms like Signal and WhatsApp, to comply with federal record-keeping laws.
This aims to ensure that important government information is not lost or improperly handled, safeguarding historical records and accountability.
PROVISION 02
Seeks documents related to the use of electronic communication platforms for official business on Federal Government devices, specifically regarding sensitive national security information.
This provision provides oversight into how official business, especially sensitive matters, is conducted on government-provided tools.
PROVISION 03
Asks for documents concerning the use of electronic communication platforms for official business on personal devices, particularly if this violates federal law and involves highly sensitive national security information.
This addresses potential unauthorized use of personal devices for official work, which could pose significant security risks and violate record-keeping rules.
PROVISION 04
Requests documents on plans and procedures to ensure official communications sent via electronic platforms are not automatically deleted, thereby violating federal record-keeping requirements.
This directly targets a common feature of messaging apps that could prevent critical government records from being preserved as required by law.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 20
D· Massachusetts
YRS IN OFFICE
24
BILLS LED
15
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 20 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
3 EVENTSAPR 30
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
APR 9
Submitted in House
APR 9
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Resolution
NumberHRES 316
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedApr 9, 2025
Last actionApr 30, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 9, 2025
House Res.HRES 316House of RepresentativesCongressional-executive branch relations
Of inquiry requesting the President to transmit certain documents relating to the use of insecure electronic communication platforms, including Signal, for official communications and to the compliance of the Administration with all Federal records laws.
INTRODUCED APR 9, 2025· LAST ACTION APR 30, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
2 min
COSPONSORS
20
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
