H.R. 1118 · Where this bill is now
In the Senate
Passed the House Jul 21, 2026. Received Jul 22, 2026; no Senate vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryAllows government to prioritize quality over lowest price
This bill changes how the federal government buys things through its General Services Administration (GSA) program. Right now, the government typically picks the lowest-cost bid when buying supplies and services. This bill would let the GSA choose based on best value instead, meaning they could pick an offer that costs more if it's higher quality, more reliable, or better overall for taxpayers—not just the cheapest option.
How it affects you
This doesn't directly affect most people day-to-day, but it could matter to you as a taxpayer. It gives federal agencies more flexibility when they're spending your tax dollars, potentially allowing them to buy longer-lasting or better-performing products rather than always going with the cheapest bid. It may also affect companies that sell to the government, since they could compete on quality as well as price.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Feb 7, 2025)
Value Over Cost Act of 2025
This bill specifies that contracts and orders under the multiple award schedule program of the General Services Administration (GSA) may be evaluated on best value , rather than lowest overall cost, if the GSA determines that to be in the best interests of the federal government. ( Best value allows consideration of non-cost factors when evaluating contract proposals to determine the offer that provides the greatest overall benefit. The GSA's multiple award schedules provide federal agencies with a simplified process for obtaining commercial supplies and commercial services at prices associated with volume buying.)
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1118
AN ACT
Value Over Cost Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL-19) · Introduced Feb 7, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 3 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 22, 2026: “Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.”
How Congress voted
Official roll callsHouse · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · Jul 21, 2026
Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended Passed 421–1
| Party | Yes | No | Didn’t vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 210 | 0 | 2 |
| Independents | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Republicans | 210 | 1 | 7 |
1 member voted against most of their party: 1 Republicans voted No.
Congress votes on whole bills and amendments, not on single sections.