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The House unanimously passed the Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act, which requires a review of whether low-cost government buying practices create national security risks.
H.R. 856, the Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act, directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to investigate federal purchasing habits. The bill specifically focuses on the "lowest price technically acceptable" (LPTA) method, where agencies buy from the cheapest bidder that meets basic requirements. The review aims to determine if this cost-cutting approach has unintentionally created vulnerabilities in national security. This vote was conducted under "suspension of the rules," a procedural shortcut used in the House for bills with broad bipartisan support. This method limits debate and prevents any changes to the bill's text, but it requires a higher success threshold of two-thirds of those voting rather than a simple majority. The bill passed with unanimous support from all members present and voting. It now moves to the Senate for further consideration. If it becomes law, the resulting report could lead to significant changes in how the federal government awards contracts for goods and services.
The bill has been sent to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for review.
OPEN BILL →Why it matters. This bill addresses the critical balance between saving taxpayer money and protecting national infrastructure from low-quality or compromised goods.
Who’s affected. Federal Agencies: Must conduct reviews of their internal procurement rules and bidding standards. · Defense Contractors: May see a shift in how contracts are awarded, moving away from purely 'lowest price' criteria.
Democrats. All 208 voting Democrats supported the measure.
Republicans. All voting Republicans supported the measure, though a large number were not present or recorded during the final tally.
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Mar 3, 2025
The House unanimously passed the Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act, which requires a review of whether low-cost government buying practices create national security risks.
The House used a fast-track procedure called 'suspension of the rules' to bypass standard hurdles. This requires a two-thirds supermajority to pass and is typically reserved for measures that most members from both parties agree on.
The bill has been sent to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for review.
This bill addresses the critical balance between saving taxpayer money and protecting national infrastructure from low-quality or compromised goods.
The measure saw total bipartisan agreement, passing unanimously among all members of both parties who were present.
All 208 voting Democrats supported the measure.
All voting Republicans supported the measure, though a large number were not present or recorded during the final tally.
The chamber's one independent member voted in favor of the bill.