Breaking the Gridlock Act

Full Title:
To advance policy priorities that will break the gridlock.

Summary#

This bill, called the "Breaking the Gridlock Act," includes many separate provisions across different topics. Major parts require the Architect of the Capitol to create a Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule to be sealed until July 4, 2276; set rules for federal payment and alignment of fire suppression cost-share agreements with local fire departments; change funding rules for the Udall Foundation; require a U.S. strategy to address the Boko Haram threat in West Africa and an intelligence assessment; create reporting and pilot programs for veterans services and veterans courts; direct a TSA study on treating certain commute time as on-duty; order a Treasury-led report on U.S. exposure to China’s financial sector; require periodic reviews of automatic maximum life insurance coverage for servicemembers and veterans; direct the Department of Defense to identify and notify veterans who had improper tax withholdings on severance pay; require House committees to hold hearings on the Act; modify House rules to protect individuals who provide information to ethics and workplace offices; ban data brokers from transferring specified personally identifiable sensitive data to foreign adversary countries or entities they control; require most federal flags to be made entirely in the United States; and includes several small appropriations for federal offices and programs.

What it means for you#

  • If you work for or interact with federal agencies: federal purchases of U.S. flags will generally need to be fully U.S.-made, with some exceptions.
  • If you are a local fire department: the bill requires standard procedures and timely reimbursement under certain federal fire suppression cost-share agreements.
  • If you are a veteran or servicemember: the bill adds regular reviews of automatic maximum life insurance coverage levels, requires the Defense Department to identify veterans with improperly withheld severance pay and provide notice and filing instructions, and creates grant and reporting rules for veterans treatment and retention programs.
  • If you are a Transportation Security Administration employee: the TSA must study whether some travel between duty locations and parking or transit stops can be treated as on-duty time.
  • If you provide or use personal data: data brokers would be prohibited from transferring a long list of specified sensitive personal data to countries designated as foreign adversaries or entities controlled by them; this prohibition becomes effective 60 days after enactment.
  • If you follow foreign policy or finance issues: the Treasury must report on U.S. exposure to China’s financial sector and recommend actions; the State and Defense Departments must develop a five-year strategy on Boko Haram.

Expenses#

  • Title I (Time Capsule): authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" to carry out the time capsule; no specific amount provided.
  • Title III (Udall Foundation): extends authorization through 2029 and increases one statutory amount from $1,000 to $5,000; sets a fiscal year reference to 2026.
  • Title XVI (Appropriations) lists specific additional amounts for fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, including:
    • $1,000,000 for Telehealth Resource Center assistance for nursing facilities (Health and Human Services).
    • $1,000,000 for the Office of Budget and Program Analysis (USDA).
    • $1,000,000 for the State Department Capital Investment Fund.
    • $1,000,000 for Army operation and maintenance.
    • $1,000,000 for Management Directorate operations and support (DHS).
    • $1,000,000 for the Energy Information Administration (Department of Energy).
  • Several other provisions direct reports, studies, or administrative actions without specifying new funding amounts.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.