S. 55 — Read the Bills Act

This section provides a constitutional authority statement for the Act, citing Congress's powers under Article I, §5, cl. 2 and 3 (rules of proceedings and journal); §7, cl. 2 (passage of bills by each House); and §8, cl. 18 (necessary and proper clause), and Article III, §2 for the Act's standing provision for persons aggrieved by enforcement of laws enacted in violation of congressional rules or by suspension of those rules.

This section sets forth 13 congressional findings concerning the constitutional vesting of legislative powers in Congress, Members' accountability to constituents, historical parliamentary practices for bill readings outlined in Jefferson's Manual, deviations in current Senate and House rules from those practices, exceptions to requirements for bills to be available in written form prior to passage (including under 1 U.S.C. §106 during the last six days of a session), and consequences such as excessively long bills, inadequate examination by Members and the public, and undermined confidence in legislative processes.

This section amends 1 U.S.C. Chapter 2 by inserting new §§105a-105c to impose procedural requirements on bills and resolutions (except private bills) introduced and considered in Congress. **Section 105a** requires any introduced bill or resolution to cite specific constitutional powers granted to Congress, with non-compliant measures rejected by the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate and ineligible for floor votes on final passage; no waivers are permitted. **Section 105b** requires any introduced bill or resolution amending current law to set forth verbatim (A) the current section of law, (B) proposed amendments, and (C) the section as amended (except if striking an entire section), with non-compliant measures rejected by the Clerk or Secretary and ineligible for floor votes on final passage; no waivers are permitted. **Section 105c** prohibits final passage votes unless (1) the full text is published on each House's official website in open format at least 7 days prior, (2) notice of the vote's calendar week is posted at least 6 days before that week's Monday (requiring new notice if missed), and (3) the Clerk or Secretary reads the full text verbatim to a quorum-assembled House (with exceptions for enrolled bills and amendments thereto); additionally, Members or Senators voting in favor must sign a perjury-penalty affidavit attesting to attentive presence during reading or prior full reading of the text.

This section amends the table of sections for chapter 2 of title 1, United States Code, by inserting entries after section 105 for new sections 105a (Text of bill or resolution to specify its constitutional authority), 105b (Text of bill or resolution to set forth current law), 105c (Procedures prior to vote on bill or resolution), and 105d (Enforcement clause).

This section establishes a severability clause stating that if any provision of the Act or its amendments, or its application to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the Act and its amendments, and their application to other persons or circumstances, remain unaffected.