S. 81 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 13, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryAgencies must label guidance as non-binding
Federal agencies publish guidance documents to explain how they interpret laws and policies. This bill would require agencies to put a statement on the first page of these documents saying they are not legally binding and only meant to clarify what the law requires or what the agency's policies are.
How it affects you
If you follow federal guidance from agencies like the EPA or IRS, you'd now see a clear notice that these documents don't have the same legal force as actual laws or official regulations. This makes it clearer when you're reading something meant to help you understand the rules versus something that's actually a binding requirement.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 13, 2025)
Guidance Clarity Act of 2025
This bill requires federal agencies to state on the first page of guidance documents that such guidance (1) does not have the force and effect of law, and (2) is intended only to provide clarity to the public about existing legal requirements or agency policies.
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 SessionS. 81
A BILL
Guidance Clarity Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) · Introduced Jan 13, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Nov 3, 2025: “Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 250.”
Sections
The wording of this bill hasn’t changed across its 2 official versions.