Accounting & Consulting

TAS Act

Nathaniel Moran (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would overhaul how taxpayers interact with the IRS by expanding customer service tools like online accounts and wait time dashboards, strengthening taxpayer appeal and court review rights in tax disputes, and adding protections for people facing collection or hardship. It would also impose a new federal licensing and penalty regime on tax return preparers, tighten penalties for mishandling taxpayer information, and create an IRS liaison to promote employer-provided child care benefits. This bill helps tax preparers and accounting firms by letting the Tax Court extend or toll petition filing deadlines, protecting their clients from procedural dismissals when filing systems fail or equity warrants more time.

Where it stands

The House passed H.R. 5349 on December 1, 2025 under suspension of the rules by voice vote, and the Senate passed it on September 30, 2026 by unanimous consent with an amendment and an amendment to the title. Because the Senate amended the bill, the chambers now hold different versions, and the measure returns to the House, which may concur in the Senate amendments, amend them further, or disagree and seek a conference; it has not cleared Congress.

TAS Act

Mike Crapo (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would overhaul how the Internal Revenue Service serves taxpayers by digitizing paper returns and correspondence, publishing real-time online dashboards of wait times and backlogs, expanding online taxpayer accounts, and easing fees, notices, and appeal rights for low-income taxpayers, taxpayers abroad, hostages, and whistleblowers. It would also tighten oversight of paid tax return preparers through background checks, education and suitability standards, higher penalties, and new felony rules, strengthen the National Taxpayer Advocate and Tax Court review of credit bans and refund suits, create an IRS Business Child Care Liaison to promote employer-provided child care benefits, and raise criminal and civil penalties for unauthorized disclosure or misuse of taxpayer data. This bill imposes new penalties, background check and education requirements, and criminal liability on tax return preparers, while granting them authorized taxpayer-portal access and exempting state-licensed preparers from some federal requirements.

Where it stands

The Senate Committee on Finance ordered the TAS Act reported at its markup as an original measure on September 17, 2026, filed a written report the same day, and the bill now sits on the Senate Calendar of Business under General Orders as Calendar No. 670, awaiting floor consideration with no further Senate committee action scheduled.

EFIN Verification Act of 2026

Ron Estes (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would bar any electronic filing of a tax return unless the filer's IRS electronic filing identification number has been confirmed as active and authorized through a new real-time validation program the Treasury Secretary would build. It would also require electronic filing software to run that check before submitting a return and to block filings made with unvalidated, suspended, or revoked numbers, starting with filings for tax years beginning at least two years after enactment. This bill requires tax preparation firms and e-file providers to validate their IRS electronic filing identification numbers before submitting returns, and it makes tax software block filings made with unvalidated numbers.

Where it stands

On September 10, 2026 the bill was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, and on September 16, 2026 the committee held a markup and voted 40 to 0 to order the bill reported in the nature of a substitute. No written report has been filed and no calendar placement appears on the record.

Ending Double Dealing Act of 2026

Joni Ernst (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would bar the Defense Department from entering, renewing, or extending contracts or awarding grants or other funding agreements to consulting companies deemed covered consultancies because they or their affiliates failed to disclose dealings with covered foreign entities, submitted false or misleading information to a Federal agency, or failed to disclose a conflict of interest in the five years before the relevant requirement. Bidders for Defense consulting work would have to disclose any contracts with, grants from, or funds received from covered entities such as the Chinese and Russian governments in the past five years, bidders that fail to disclose could have contracts terminated for cause and face suspension or debarment of up to five years, and a covered company could regain eligibility by certifying it has ended all work and funding relationships with covered entities. This bill directly bars consulting firms with undisclosed ties to foreign adversaries from receiving Department of Defense contracts, requires conflict-of-interest disclosure in bids, and threatens termination, suspension, and debarment for nondisclosure.

Where it stands

S4685 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Armed Services on June 4, 2026, and no committee meetings are scheduled in our calendar data. The bill sits at the referred stage, where the committee chair decides whether anything happens and committees need not act on referred bills.

Filer Voter Act

Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would require most tax return preparers who handle at least 100 individual returns annually to act as voter registration agencies by displaying or linking to registration forms for their clients. It would also mandate that federally funded volunteer tax preparation programs include a voter registration prompt in their intake process and display registration forms at their service sites. This bill makes tax return preparers who file at least 100 individual returns a year into voter registration agencies, requiring them to display or link registration forms for clients and adding compliance costs for tax preparation firms.

Where it stands

HR8130 was referred on March 26, 2026, to the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Ways and Means, with no primary committee designated. Both committee chairs independently control whether the bill proceeds to a hearing or markup.

TAS Act

Mike Crapo (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would overhaul IRS taxpayer services by requiring digitized returns and correspondence, public dashboards showing wait times and backlogs, easier electronic access to refund information, and elimination of some installment agreement fees, while also expanding Tax Court access to larger refund claims and certain collection and innocent spouse cases. It would also impose new requirements and penalties on tax return preparers, including suitability and education standards for preparer ID numbers, higher fines, and a new crime for using invalid preparer IDs, along with changes to appeals, whistleblower awards, deadline relief for hostages and wrongfully detained people, and a voluntary withholding option for independent contractors. This bill directly regulates tax return preparers and electronic filers with new education, background check, and identification requirements, penalties up to $5,000, felony exposure, and PTIN suspension, while easing foreign tax credit rules and honoring existing education credentials.

Where it stands

S3931 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on February 26, 2026, and no further action is recorded. Committees need not act on referred bills, so whether anything happens now depends on the Finance Committee's scheduling decisions, though committee inaction would not make movement impossible.

Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act

Jimmy Panetta (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would raise civil penalties on paid tax return preparers, raising most per-violation penalties from $50 to $250 and allowing fines up to $50,000 to $75,000 per year, would make it a felony punishable by up to $50,000 and 2 years in prison for a preparer to willfully use an invalid or someone else's preparer identification number, and would penalize preparers who misappropriate taxpayer refunds by the greater of $1,000 or the full refund amount. It would also direct the Treasury Department to run a program for issuing preparer tax identification numbers that requires background checks, personal tax compliance, and up to 18 hours per year of continuing education, and lets the Treasury suspend or revoke those numbers for incompetence, disreputable conduct, or repeated errors, while exempting CPAs, attorneys, enrolled agents, and preparers licensed under comparable state programs. This bill requires paid tax return preparers and accounting firms in this industry to register, pass background checks, complete continuing education, and report supervised preparers, while raising penalties for invalid identification numbers, refund misappropriation, and misuse of preparer numbers.

Where it stands

HR6323 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on November 28, 2025 and now sits at the committee stage, where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed; no meetings are scheduled in our calendar data.

PCAOB Enforcement Transparency Act of 2025

Jack Reed (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to hold its disciplinary hearings in public unless the Board orders them closed. It also removes a restriction that prevented the Board from publishing its determinations while a sanction was under stay. This bill requires the PCAOB to hold disciplinary hearings for registered public accounting firms in public and lets it publish sanctions while a stay is pending, increasing public scrutiny and reputational risk for those firms.

Where it stands

S2919 is referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs following its introduction on September 19, 2025. The committee chair controls whether the measure receives a hearing or markup, though committee action is not strictly required for the bill to advance.

Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2026

Pat Harrigan (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would bar state and local governments from imposing a net income tax or a similar business activity tax on an out-of-state company unless that company has a physical presence in the state, such as an employee, an agent, or owned or leased property, and would exclude short stays under 15 days and limited or transient activity from counting as presence. It would also expand the existing federal shield against such taxes to cover sales of digital goods and digital services like software, cloud computing, and data processing, and to cover activities carried out through independent contractors such as soliciting orders or gathering information.

Where it stands

H.R. 9244, the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2026, was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on June 10, 2026, and has had no further recorded action since; no committee meetings are currently on the calendar.

American White-Collar Worker Jobs Act of 2026

Chip Roy (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would sharply restrict the H-1B skilled-visa program by capping stays at 2 calendar years, keeping the annual cap at 65,000 visas, giving visa priority to petitions with the highest salaries, limiting any single country to 7 percent of the visas, and requiring employers to first post and offer each job to equally or better qualified United States workers, pay the higher of the actual wage or the 75th percentile wage for the occupation and location, keep nonimmigrants at no more than 5 percent of their United States workforce, and forgo hiring whenever local unemployment in the occupation exceeds 2 percent. It would back these rules with Labor Department enforcement including fines of up to $100,000 per violation, H-1B employment bans of up to 10 years, and a new federal court claim for United States workers who are displaced by visa holders.

Where it stands

HR 9157 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on June 4, 2026 and has had no further action since. It sits at the earliest committee stage, where the chair decides whether a hearing or a markup is ever noticed.

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish procedures relating to the attribution of errors in the case of third party payors of payroll taxes, and for other purposes.

Mike Thompson (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill allows third-party payroll service providers to rely on employer certifications without facing liability for errors unless they had constructive knowledge of the mistake. It also prevents the IRS from delaying tax credits or auditing other employers solely because a provider processed an erroneous return for a different client. This bill shields third-party payroll service providers and professional employer organizations from liability for employers' certification errors unless they knew of them, while restricting the IRS from delaying their tax credits or auditing them over unrelated clients' mistakes.

Where it stands

HR 3223 is currently referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means as of May 6, 2025. The measure remains in committee without any scheduled meetings or markup notices in the available calendar data.

Time to Choose Act of 2025

Robert P. Bresnahan, Jr. (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act would prohibit federal agencies from awarding consulting contracts to firms that simultaneously provide services to China, Russia, state sponsors of terrorism, or other designated foreign entities. It would require consulting firms to certify they have no such foreign contracts before bidding, with limited exceptions granted only for national security needs. This bill requires consulting firms seeking federal contracts to certify they hold no consulting contracts with China, Russia, or other covered foreign entities, bars those that do from bidding, and imposes False Claims Act penalties for hiding such contracts.

Where it stands

HR2989 was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on April 24, 2025, and no upcoming meetings are scheduled in the available data. The bill is currently stalled in committee, where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup is scheduled.

Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2025

John Cornyn (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal grants small businesses with average annual gross receipts under $50 million the right to recover legal costs in tax disputes without meeting net worth limits, while increasing civil damages for IRS misconduct to $5 million and extending the statute of limitations to 5 years. It also establishes procedural protections such as bans on ex parte communications, limits on IRS liens against primary homes, and a deduction of up to $5,000 for individuals facing National Research Program audits. This bill raises IRS misconduct damages to $5 million and lets small businesses under $50 million in gross receipts recover legal costs in tax disputes, increasing demand for accounting and consulting firms advising on audits and appeals.

Where it stands

S1386 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on April 9, 2025, and no upcoming meetings are scheduled in our calendar data.

Tax Return Preparer Accountability Act of 2025

Steve Cohen (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill requires tax return preparers to meet competency standards including exams and background checks, while granting the Treasury authority to sanction them for misconduct. It also directs the IRS to implement an algorithm to identify taxpayers at risk of economic hardship and to establish security standards for tax software providers. This bill directly regulates tax return preparers at accounting and consulting firms by requiring exams, background checks, and continuing education, exempting attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents and their supervised staff, and letting Treasury sanction or rescind the ID numbers of preparers found incompetent or disreputable.

Where it stands

HR 1983 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on March 10, 2025. No upcoming meetings are scheduled for this measure in the current calendar data.

Time to Choose Act of 2025

Josh Hawley (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill requires consulting firms bidding on federal contracts to certify they do not serve China, Russia, terrorist-supporting nations, or other designated foreign entities. Agencies are prohibited from awarding contracts to firms that fail this certification, with penalties including contract termination and treble damages for false claims. This bill requires consulting firms bidding on federal contracts to certify they hold no consulting contracts with China, Russia, or other covered foreign entities, and it terminates contracts and applies False Claims Act penalties to firms that misrepresent such ties.

Where it stands

S731 is stalled in the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, having been read twice and referred on February 25, 2025. The measure requires a markup vote to report out, though it may bypass committee via unanimous consent, discharge, or use as a floor amendment.

FAIR PREP Act of 2025

Adrian Smith (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill prohibits the Treasury Department from preparing tax returns or operating electronic tax preparation services like Direct File, while explicitly exempting the IRS Free File Program and qualified return preparation programs. It also bars the Treasury from spending funds on developing or maintaining any electronic tax preparation service options without specific new congressional authorization. This bill benefits accounting and tax preparation firms by prohibiting the Treasury Department from preparing tax returns or offering services like Direct File, eliminating a free government competitor and preserving private fee-based preparation revenue.

Where it stands

HR 451 is referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means as of January 15, 2025, with no upcoming meetings scheduled.

FairTax Act of 2025

This is an omnibus proposal impacting several different industries, including Accounting & Consulting.

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would replace federal income, payroll, and estate taxes with a national sales tax on consumption that starts at 23 percent in 2027. It would also phase out the Internal Revenue Service by 2029 and include a sunset clause if the constitutional amendment for this change is not ratified within seven years. This bill repeals the federal income tax rules governing tax preparers, directly affecting accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll firms whose return preparation work is based on the tax code being replaced.

Where it stands

The FairTax Act of 2025 is stalled after being referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on January 3, 2025. No upcoming meetings are scheduled, and the committee chair controls whether a hearing or markup occurs.

AI Tax Integrity Act of 2026

Vern Buchanan (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would require the Treasury Department to set up a pilot program, running between 18 months and 2 years, that uses artificial intelligence to flag inaccurate tax returns, including those involving identity theft, fraudulent claims for credits, deductions, or refunds, and returns prepared by third parties who are not properly identified on the return. After the pilot ends, the Comptroller General would have to report to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees on how much fraud the tools detected, how much the government recovered, and how accurate the artificial intelligence tools were. This bill subjects tax preparation and accounting firms to greater AI-based review, since Treasury's pilot will flag returns improperly prepared by third parties who are not properly identified on the return.

Where it stands

The House Committee on Ways and Means ordered H.R. 9501 reported at its July 1, 2026 markup, the written report was filed on September 8, 2026, and the bill was placed on the Union Calendar the same day as Calendar No. 701. Union Calendar placement conveys floor eligibility only and schedules nothing, with majority leadership deciding if and when the bill comes up.

SEC Reform and Restructuring Act

Ann Wagner (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would force the Securities and Exchange Commission to weigh costs and benefits, including effects on small businesses and market liquidity, before proposing or issuing rules, publish post-adoption reviews of major rules, give the public at least 60 days to comment on proposed rules (30 days for imminent investor harm), testify to Congress twice a year, and count related compliance failures as a single violation when calculating penalties. It would also fold the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board into a new Office of Public Accounting Oversight inside the SEC two years after enactment, require government watchdog audits and studies of the SEC's IT systems and major rules, and direct the SEC Chairman to shrink the number of offices reporting directly to the chair. This bill keeps registered public accounting firms registered, inspected, and subject to discipline, but moves that oversight from an independent board into an SEC office the firms still fund through annual accounting support fees, while capping penalties and slowing new rules.

Where it stands

The House Committee on Financial Services held a hearing on June 25, 2026, ordered the bill reported at its markup on June 30, 2026, and the written report was filed on September 3, 2026, the same day the bill was placed on the Union Calendar as Calendar No. 694. Calendar placement conveys eligibility only; it does not schedule any floor action.

SOAR Act

Cory A. Booker (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would create a new Small Business Administration grant program giving cash grants of at least $1,000,000 each to growth accelerators, organizations that support startups no more than 5 years old with mentoring, space, and help raising capital, and it would authorize $80,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2036. At least half the money each year would have to go to accelerators in certain high-poverty or rural areas or to accelerators serving startups mostly owned by women, socially or economically disadvantaged people, veterans, Native Americans, formerly incarcerated people, or people with disabilities. This bill funds a new SBA grant program whose recipients must help startups obtain professional services including accounting, and accelerators will also hire accounting and consulting firms for eligibility, program, and annual reporting work.

Where it stands

S5631, the SOAR Act, was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship on September 30, 2026. It now sits in committee, the stage where most bills in this chamber stall, with no hearing or markup scheduled in current calendar data.

GRANT Reform Act of 2026

Tom McClintock (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to publish annual reports listing the names, purposes, amounts, and recipients of all federal grants. It also mandates that grant recipients submit detailed financial reports on salaries, subcontractors, and administrative costs within three months of completing their projects to remain eligible for future funding.

Where it stands

HR 10192 was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on August 31, 2026. The committee chair controls whether any hearings or markups are scheduled for the measure.

Strengthening EFIN Confirmation for User Reliability and Electronic (SECURE) Tax Filing Act

Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would require the Treasury Secretary to create a real-time system that verifies electronic filing identification numbers are active and authorized before any tax return can be submitted. Tax preparation software would be prohibited from allowing electronic filings unless the identification number passes this mandatory validation check. This bill requires tax preparation, accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll service firms to have their software verify with the IRS that each electronic filing identification number is active and authorized before submitting any client return, blocking filings that fail the check.

Where it stands

S5111 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on July 23, 2026, placing it under the jurisdiction of that committee. No markup or further action is currently scheduled in the calendar data.

BARCODE Efficiency Act

Todd Young (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require electronically prepared tax returns filed on paper to include a scannable barcode and mandate that the Internal Revenue Service use optical character recognition technology to process remaining paper returns and correspondence. This bill requires tax preparation and accounting firms to include a scannable barcode on any electronically prepared return filed on paper, creating a new compliance duty to ensure returns can be converted to electronic format.

Where it stands

S452 is currently referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup occurs. The companion measure HR6956 has also been received in the Senate and referred to the same committee.

RISE Act

Claudia Tenney (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would increase the pension plan startup tax credit for very small employers, letting businesses with 10 or fewer employees that start a plan accepting federal matching contributions claim 100 percent of qualified costs instead of 50 percent and up to $2,500 instead of $500, starting with tax years after December 31, 2026. It would also allow retirement plan service providers to claim that startup credit instead of the employer for each of the first three credit years, as long as they cut the employer's fees by at least the credit amount and get a written certification from the employer, who then gives up their own claim to the credit. This bill lets accounting, payroll, and consulting firms that set up small employers' retirement plans claim a new tax credit directly in exchange for cutting their fees, but firms claiming it face recapture tax if requirements are not met.

Where it stands

H.R. 8837 (RISE Act) sits with the House Committee on Ways and Means, to which it was referred on May 14, 2026. No markup has been noticed and no meetings are scheduled in our calendar data, so the bill is at the earliest committee stage.

Small Business Wildfire Smoke Recovery Act

Catherine Cortez Masto (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would amend the Small Business Act to add smoke to the definition of disaster, making small businesses harmed by wildfire smoke eligible for the Small Business Administration's existing disaster assistance, including its disaster loans. It would not create any new agency or program but would extend eligibility under the existing disaster assistance framework.

Where it stands

S4532 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship on May 14, 2026. It now sits at the committee stage, where most bills receive no further action and the chair decides whether anything happens.

Fair Pay Act of 2026

Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to bar employers from paying workers in jobs dominated by one sex, race, or national origin less than what is paid for equivalent jobs dominated by other groups, with carve-outs for seniority, merit, production-based pay, and job-related factors the employer can prove are legitimate. It would also let workers recover compensatory and punitive damages and expert fees, protect employees who discuss their wages from retaliation, require covered employers with 25 or more employees (and 15 or more in later years) to file wage reports with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by race, sex, and national origin, extend the same rules to congressional and executive branch employees, and take effect one year after enactment.

Where it stands

HR8663 was referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce on May 4, 2026 and has had no further action. In the House, the referral stage is where most bills stall, since whether the bill ever gets a hearing or a markup is the committee chair's call, and no committee meetings appear in available calendar data.

Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would expand the prohibition on price discrimination under the Clayton Act to cover services and activities affecting commerce, while removing the defense that sellers may offer lower prices to meet a competitor's price. It also establishes a legal presumption that victims of price discrimination have suffered damages equal to the amount of the discrimination and allows them to claim additional damages.

Where it stands

HR8184 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on April 2, 2026, where the committee chair controls whether further action occurs. The companion bill S4147 remains in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, having been referred on March 19, 2026.

CLIMB Act

Guy Reschenthaler (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill prohibits federal agencies from taking adverse action against persons solely for providing business assistance to state-legal cannabis businesses, including financial, insurance, legal, and real estate services. It also creates a safe harbor for national securities exchanges and market participants to list and trade securities of cannabis-related businesses and their service providers without violating federal laws. This bill protects accounting firms and management consulting firms from federal adverse action for serving state-legal cannabis businesses, so these firms can take on such clients without risking penalties.

Where it stands

The CLIMB Act was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services on March 18, 2026, and no future meetings are currently scheduled. The bill is in the referred stage where the committee chair controls whether a hearing or markup is noticed.

Child Care Tax Benefit Outreach and Assistance Act

Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would direct the Internal Revenue Service to appoint a Business Child Care Liaison who would educate employers about existing tax benefits for employer-provided child care, publish a fact sheet for tax preparers, set up a landing page on SAM.gov about child care tax programs, recommend changes to Congress, and file annual public reports on how many employers use these benefits. The liaison would also advise on IRS rules touching employer child care benefits and coordinate outreach with other federal, state, and tribal officials, with particular attention to reducing information barriers for small businesses. This bill requires the IRS to issue fact sheets for tax return preparers listing employer-provided child care tax benefits, giving accounting and payroll firms clearer guidance and reducing compliance errors and client consultation time.

Where it stands

S4071 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on March 12, 2026, and no committee meetings are scheduled. Under Senate practice the bill now sits in committee, where the Finance chair decides whether anything happens at all, and most referred bills are never considered.

Heirs Education and Investment to Resolve Succession of Property Act

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill authorizes $60 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund nonprofit legal and accounting services that help underserved heirs resolve ownership disputes on farmland and forest land at no cost to the heirs. It also extends the existing relending program for farmland ownership succession and related data collection efforts through 2031. This bill funds nonprofit organizations, including accounting firms, through federal cooperative agreements to provide free accounting services to underserved heirs resolving farmland ownership disputes, and extends a farmland relending program through 2031.

Where it stands

HR7761 is referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and its Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit as of April 3, 2026. The bill is currently awaiting subcommittee consideration, where the chair controls whether any hearings or markups occur.

RECEIPTS Act

Joni Ernst (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill establishes a new Department of Defense Audit Committee and authorizes $300 million for artificial intelligence and business system upgrades to help the Pentagon achieve clean financial audits by 2028. If the Department fails to secure an unqualified audit opinion by that deadline, the measure requires transferring non-defense payroll services from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to another government agency and mandates strict professional qualifications for top financial officials. This bill directly hits consulting firms holding Defense Department audit support contracts, which must be terminated for convenience to offset $300 million in AI spending, while the mandated independent external audits create new work for CPA firms.

Where it stands

S3902 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services on February 24, 2026, where it remains stalled with no scheduled hearings or markups. No further legislative actions are recorded in the current status.

EXILE Act

W. Gregory Steube (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would reduce the annual cap for H-1B visas to zero starting in fiscal year 2027. This change effectively ends the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program for new hires after fiscal year 2026. This bill ends the H-1B visa program starting fiscal year 2027, so accounting, consulting, and advisory firms that hire specialized foreign consultants will lose access to this visa category and must compete for domestic talent instead.

Where it stands

The EXILE Act (HR 7451) was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on February 9, 2026. This referral places the measure in the committee stage, where the chair controls whether hearings or a markup occur.

Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2026

This is an omnibus proposal impacting several different industries, including Accounting & Consulting.

David P. Joyce (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would set spending limits and operational rules for the Treasury, judiciary, and various federal agencies while restricting funds for specific policy initiatives like climate efforts and certain District of Columbia laws. It would also allocate budgets for independent regulators and require compliance with new administrative caps on purchases and transfers. This bill funds IRS grants for low-income taxpayer clinics and tax return preparation assistance plus money for SCORE and Women's Business Centers, directly supporting accounting, tax preparation, and consulting firms that run or staff these programs.

Where it stands

HR 5166 was ordered reported by the House Committee on Appropriations following a markup on September 5, 2025, and placed on the Union Calendar as Calendar No. 193 on the same date.

SAFE Services Act

Cory Mills (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to revise acquisition rules to give a procurement preference to United States companies for professional services contracts. This preference applies unless the Secretary waives it due to urgent operational needs or a lack of capable American firms. This bill gives US-owned accounting and consulting firms a procurement preference in Defense Department professional services contracts, while foreign-owned firms and joint ventures with less than 50 percent US ownership face reduced opportunities.

Where it stands

The SAFE Services Act was referred to the House Committee on Armed Services on December 18, 2025. No hearings or markups are currently scheduled.

Electronic Filing Improvement and Logistical Efficiency Act of 2025

Nicole Malliotakis (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The IRS must make a fully automated electronic filing system for employment taxes available within one year of enactment and offer employers a $1,000 tax credit for filing electronically for the first time. The bill imposes a $250 user fee on paper submissions of quarterly or annual employment tax returns, effective for periods ending more than two years after enactment. This bill exempts payroll service providers from the new $250 paper filing fee and offers a $1,000 tax credit to employers who switch to electronic filing, strengthening payroll and accounting firms that file employment taxes electronically for clients.

Where it stands

HR 6458 is referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means as of December 4, 2025, with no upcoming meetings scheduled. The committee chair controls whether a hearing or markup occurs, though leadership retains the ability to bypass committee action.

Trusted Foreign Auditing Act of 2025

Elise M. Stefanik (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would prohibit trading in securities of companies headquartered in national security threat countries if they hire auditors controlled by or influenced by those governments. It also mandates public hearings when a compromised auditor is involved in a dispute with a company listed on a U.S. exchange. This bill directly regulates registered public accounting firms by defining a compromised auditor as a foreign-controlled branch or office of such a firm and requiring public hearings when that firm serves a US-listed client, risking loss of eligibility to audit those clients.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services on July 22, 2025 and is currently stalled with no scheduled meetings. The committee chair controls whether to notice a markup, as hearings are not required before markup and do not guarantee further action.

Trusted Foreign Auditing Act of 2025

Rick Scott (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would prohibit trading for companies headquartered in national security threat countries if they use auditors deemed compromised by those governments. It also requires public hearings when such compromised auditors are involved in regulatory proceedings. This bill directly regulates registered public accounting firms by labeling those with government ties in covered countries as compromised auditors, which triggers trading prohibitions on their clients and public hearings when they are parties.

Where it stands

S2382 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on July 22, 2025. The bill is currently in the referral stage with no scheduled committee meetings or markup.

Stopping Proxy Advisor Racketeering Act

Scott Fitzgerald (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill would make it unlawful for proxy advisory firms to provide voting recommendations if they have direct or indirect conflicts of interest, such as providing consulting services to the company being evaluated. It also authorizes the Securities and Exchange Commission to impose civil monetary penalties on firms that violate these new prohibitions. This bill restricts proxy advisory firms that also offer consulting services, barring them from issuing voting recommendations when they have conflicts of interest with the companies they evaluate and exposing violators to SEC civil penalties.

Where it stands

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services on June 24, 2025, and the committee held a hearing on September 10, 2025. No markup has occurred, leaving the measure stalled in committee.

SAFE Tax Filing Act of 2025

John Fetterman (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would allow spouses who are living apart and are survivors of domestic abuse or spousal abandonment to elect to file taxes as unmarried individuals. The measure would also require tax return preparers to exercise due diligence when verifying a client's eligibility for this specific filing status election. This bill directly regulates tax return preparers by requiring them to verify client eligibility for the new filing election for abused or abandoned spouses, adding due diligence duties, penalty exposure, and likely increased demand for tax preparation services.

Where it stands

The bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on June 18, 2025, placing it in the committee stage where the chair controls whether any action occurs. No hearings or markups have been scheduled, indicating the measure is currently dormant in committee.

Mom and Pop Tax Relief Act

Gwen Moore (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act would restrict the qualified business income tax deduction to the first $25,000 of income for small business owners. It also would phase out this deduction for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes exceeding $200,000, or $400,000 for joint filers.

Where it stands

HR 3249 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on May 7, 2025, where the committee chair controls the scheduling of any hearing or markup. No upcoming meetings are currently scheduled for this measure.

Equality Act

This is an omnibus proposal impacting several different industries, including Accounting & Consulting.

Mark Takano (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would amend federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, and jury selection. It would also bar the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a legal defense against these anti-discrimination claims. This bill makes accounting and consulting firms covered public accommodations, requiring them to serve clients regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and exposing firms that refuse service to anti-discrimination lawsuits.

Where it stands

HR 15 was referred on April 29, 2025, to the Committee on the Judiciary and four additional committees, none of which are designated as primary. The measure remains in the referred stage with no scheduled meetings or committee action recorded.

SALT Act

Burgess Owens (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill requires labor organizations and individuals hired to influence union organizing efforts to file detailed reports with the Secretary of Labor disclosing payments, agreements, and target employers. It also mandates that the Secretary issue implementing regulations within six months of the bill's enactment. This bill requires consulting firms and independent contractors paid to persuade employees on behalf of employers to file detailed reports with the Secretary of Labor disclosing their payments and agreements.

Where it stands

The SALT Act is currently referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce as of April 17, 2025. The committee chair controls whether any further action, such as a hearing or markup, occurs.

No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act

Ben Ray Luján (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would deny federal tax deductions for employer spending aimed at influencing employees' decisions about labor unions, including costs for captive audience meetings, consultant fees, and settlements related to unfair labor practice charges. It also establishes new reporting requirements with penalties for employers and third-party consultants who fail to disclose these specific labor-related expenditures on their tax returns. This bill requires management and labor relations consultants who conduct union-related activities on behalf of employers to file new tax return disclosures of these expenditures, with penalties, while denying employers deductions for such services, raising costs for union avoidance consulting.

Where it stands

S1310 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on April 4, 2025, with no upcoming meetings scheduled in the current calendar data.

REPEAL CBO Requirements Act

Claudia Tenney (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal allows committee chairs to replace official Congressional Budget Office cost estimates with those from the ten largest public accounting firms for use in budget enforcement. The Congressional Budget Office would not prepare an estimate for any measure where a private firm's estimate has been submitted. This bill lets congressional committee chairs obtain official cost estimates from large private accounting firms instead of the Congressional Budget Office, giving major public accounting firms a new government procurement market while shifting that work away from CBO.

Where it stands

HR 2524 is stalled in committee following its March 31, 2025, referral to the House Committee on Rules and the House Committee on the Budget. No hearings or markups are scheduled, and the bill remains in the initial gatekeeping phase with no further action recorded.

SEC Whistleblower Reform Act of 2025

Chuck Grassley (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This measure expands anti-retaliation protections for whistleblowers by including internal reports and post-employment disclosures in the definition of protected activity. It also mandates that the Securities and Exchange Commission process whistleblower award claims within one year and invalidates any employment agreements that waive these rights or require arbitration for related disputes. This bill directly affects accounting firms by subjecting PCAOB-registered firms to expanded anti-retaliation liability for internal whistleblower reports and by invalidating arbitration agreements, forcing them to litigate such claims in court.

Where it stands

S1149 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on March 26, 2025, where it remains stalled with no scheduled meetings or markups.

Increased TSP Access Act of 2025

James R. Baird (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This bill authorizes non-federal entities and state agencies to certify third-party technical service providers for agricultural conservation programs, creating a streamlined path for qualified professionals like crop advisors and engineers. It also mandates that payments to these providers match federal assistance rates and excludes certain federal payments to producers from cost-sharing requirements. This bill lets consulting and advisory firms with expertise in conservation planning, environmental engineering, and related technical work become certified third-party providers for federal conservation programs and get paid at federal assistance rates.

Where it stands

HR 575 is stalled after being referred to the House Committee on Agriculture on January 21, 2025, and subsequently to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology on February 28, 2025. No upcoming meetings are scheduled for this measure, and the companion Senate bill S156 remains unreferred from its committee.

Freedom from Government Competition Act of 2025

Aaron Bean (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would require most federal agencies to purchase all necessary goods and services from private companies unless specific exemptions for national defense or inherently governmental functions apply. It mandates a five-year schedule to transfer eligible commercial activities from government employees to the private sector through competitive sourcing or divestiture. This bill requires federal agencies to buy goods and services from private companies, opening new federal contracting opportunities for accounting, payroll, and management consulting and advisory firms as agencies outsource those functions.

Where it stands

HR1554 was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on February 25, 2025, and is currently stalled in that committee. No future meetings are scheduled in the available data.

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Defense relating to "Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program".

Andrew S. Clyde (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This resolution would nullify the Department of Defense rule establishing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. The rule would lose all legal force and effect if this resolution is enacted.

Where it stands

The joint resolution is referred to the House Committee on Armed Services as of February 12, 2025. No meetings are currently scheduled for this measure.

Disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Nonimmigrant Workers".

Jodey C. Arrington (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This resolution declares that a Department of Homeland Security rule regarding H-1B and F-1 visa programs has no force or effect. It formally disapproves of the specific regulatory changes submitted by the agency.

Where it stands

The joint resolution was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary on January 16, 2025, and is currently stalled with no scheduled meetings.

Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2026

Tom Cotton (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would exempt privately held, non-carrying broker-dealers that meet its good-standing criteria from the audit requirements the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applies to registered public accounting firms, so those broker-dealers could satisfy their annual audit obligation with a standard audit under generally accepted auditing standards. It would direct the SEC and the accounting oversight board to update their rules to carry out that exclusion within 180 days after the bill takes effect, which itself is 180 days after enactment, while keeping requirements that the auditor be qualified and independent and that an exemption report still be filed. This bill lets small privately held broker-dealers get annual audits from unregistered accounting firms under generally accepted auditing standards, cutting audit work for registered public accounting firms but opening new clients for other accounting firms.

Where it stands

S5454 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on September 22, 2026, and it now sits at the committee stage, the chamber's most common kill point. Its companion, HR10477, has not been reported and has not passed a chamber; it was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services on September 17, 2026.

Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2026

J. French Hill (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would amend the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to exclude audits of privately held, non-carrying brokers and dealers that are in good standing from the auditor oversight requirements of that law, and would instead let those firms satisfy their annual audit obligation through an audit conducted under generally accepted auditing standards. It would require the Securities and Exchange Commission and the accounting oversight board to update their rules to carry out the exemption within 180 days after the exemption takes effect, with the exemption itself taking effect 180 days after enactment. This bill lets small privately held broker-dealers meet their annual audit requirement with any qualified independent auditor under generally accepted auditing standards, opening that client market to accounting firms not registered with the PCAOB while registered firms risk losing those engagements.

Where it stands

The Small Business Audit Correction Act of 2026 (H.R. 10477) was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services on September 17, 2026 and sits at the very start of the committee stage, with no hearing or markup yet noticed. Under House practice, the committee chair decides whether either ever happens, so the bill's fate at this stage rests with that office.

Direct File Act of 2026

Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill codifies a free, government-run online tax preparation and filing program and voids any existing agreements that restrict the Treasury from offering such services. It also establishes a grant program for states that integrate their income tax filing into this federal system. This bill places accounting and tax preparation firms in direct competition with a free, federally run and heavily promoted online filing service by voiding agreements that restricted Treasury, likely reducing demand for paid preparation services.

Where it stands

The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on February 26, 2026, where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup is scheduled.

Small Business Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2025

David Kustoff (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act grants small businesses with gross receipts under $50 million the right to recover legal costs during IRS disputes without facing net worth limitations and increases civil damages for IRS misconduct to $5 million. It also restricts IRS enforcement actions by banning new issues on appeal, limiting liens on primary residences, and requiring the release of levies that threaten business viability. This bill gives accounting and tax firms a likely increase in demand, because small business owners audited under the National Research Program can deduct up to $5,000 of audit-related accounting expenses when no extra tax is owed.

Where it stands

The bill was referred on April 9, 2025, to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, with no committee action recorded since. The source does not establish a primary committee or set specific time limits for the referral period.

Freedom from Ideological Requirements in Employment Act

Julia Letlow (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of federal funds for hiring practices or training programs that require diversity, equity, and inclusion endorsements or teach concepts related to systemic racism and privilege. It defines these prohibited activities to include any assertion that specific demographic groups are inherently superior, inferior, or oppressed, while exempting standard sexual harassment prevention practices. This bill bars federal agencies from using funds to buy or plan diversity, equity, and inclusion training, cutting off a major revenue stream for consulting firms and trainers that sell those services to the government.

Where it stands

The bill is currently in the referred stage, having been sent to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on April 20, 2026. Procedurally, this means the committee chair controls whether the bill receives a hearing or markup, though leadership may still pursue floor action via suspension or a special rule.

Stop CHEATERS Act

Angus S. King, Jr. · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This proposal would appropriate approximately $117 billion over six years to fund IRS enforcement, taxpayer services, and technology upgrades. It also requires the IRS to report to Congress on plans to increase auditing and compliance efforts targeting high-income individuals and large corporations. This bill appropriates billions for IRS taxpayer services like pre-filing assistance and education, which accounting, tax preparation, and consulting firms work alongside, while its IRS technology overhaul creates contracting opportunities for advisory and consulting firms.

Where it stands

The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on April 15, 2026. No upcoming meetings are scheduled for this measure.

Taxpayer Advocate Continuity Act

Thomas R. Suozzi (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill would let the Internal Revenue Service's Office of the Taxpayer Advocate keep spending money and operating during a government shutdown, so it can continue helping taxpayers who are suffering economic hardship because of IRS action or inaction and comply with taxpayer assistance orders. Without this change, those operations would stop during a lapse in appropriations. This bill keeps the IRS Taxpayer Advocate operating during government shutdowns, so accounting and tax preparation firms can continue getting client hardship cases resolved without interruptions.

Where it stands

HR 8208 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on April 6, 2026 and sits at the referred stage, the point in the House where bills most commonly stall; no hearing, markup, or committee action appears in the record, and no calendar placement for this bill appears in the record.

Strengthen Taxpayer Rights Act of 2026

Monica De La Cruz (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill prohibits IRS employees outside the Independent Office of Appeals from participating in taxpayer dispute conferences unless the taxpayer consents. This restriction applies to conferences held after the law is enacted. This bill gives accounting, tax preparation, and advisory firms' clients the right to bar IRS staff outside the Independent Office of Appeals from dispute conferences without consent, letting these firms guide clients through more controlled appeals.

Where it stands

HR8134 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on March 27, 2026, and is currently stalled with no scheduled meetings.

Direct File Act of 2026

Brad Sherman (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act requires the federal government to establish a free, permanent online program for taxpayers to prepare and file income tax returns while voiding any prior agreements that restrict the Treasury from offering such services. The program must support state tax filing integration in participating states and expand eligibility to cover at least half of taxpayers in those states for taxable years beginning after 2027. This bill creates a free government-run tax filing program that competes directly with accounting firms and paid tax preparers, requiring them to compete for tax preparation clients and likely losing market share to the no-cost federal service.

Where it stands

HR7806 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on March 4, 2026. The companion measure S3948 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on February 26, 2026.

ACCESS Act of 2026

David McCormick (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

The bill raises the crowdfunding offering threshold that triggers a mandatory independent accountant review from $100,000 to $250,000. It also allows the Securities and Exchange Commission to increase this threshold up to $400,000 based on recommendations from specific small business and investor advocacy offices. This bill raises the crowdfunding threshold triggering mandatory independent accountant reviews from $100,000 to $250,000, reducing demand for CPA review services from small issuers and lowering compliance costs for accounting firms' smaller clients.

Where it stands

S3662 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on January 15, 2026, where it currently sits with no scheduled meetings. This position means the bill is in committee, a stage where most measures do not advance because committees are not required to act on every referral.

SECURE Benefits Act of 2025

Cindy Hyde-Smith (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act would require taxpayers to have a valid social security number authorized for employment to claim the child tax credit, earned income credit, savers credit, saver's match, and education credits, while creating a new temporary work-authorized social security number for certain noncitizens. It would impose a penalty equal to the credit amount or $5,000, whichever is greater, for fraudulently claiming these credits using an expired or invalid temporary work authorization. This bill requires accounting and tax preparation firms serving noncitizen clients to verify and handle new work-authorized social security number documentation and warn clients about penalties for claiming credits with expired work authorization.

Where it stands

S2974 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on October 3, 2025, where it remains without scheduled action. The chair controls whether a markup occurs, and the measure faces a quiet death if the committee does not act.

Get Your Money Back Act

Emilia Strong Sykes (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does

This act mandates that the Treasury Department continue to operate the free Direct File e-filing system for tax returns. It also requires all fifty states and the District of Columbia to participate in this federal system for tax years beginning after 2025. This bill requires accounting and tax preparation firms to compete with a permanent free federal Direct File system that all states must join, reducing client demand for paid tax preparation and e-filing services after 2025.

Where it stands

HR 4267 is currently referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means as of June 30, 2025. The measure is at the committee stage where the chair controls whether a hearing or markup is scheduled.