WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

H.R. 144 · 119th Congress

Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act

Passed HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
IntroducedJan 3, 2025
Passed HouseJan 15, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Passed House. Latest step, Jan 16, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The House passed it 423–0. All 4 of Iowa's representatives voted yes in the House. It would change 1 section of existing law.

How this bill changes the law

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H.R. 144 would change 1 section of existing law. Read from the bill text as sent to the Senate (Jan 16, 2025).

16 U.S.C. 831h Annual financial statement; purchases and contracts; audit by Comptroller General

  • The section as a whole changed · Sec. 2(2) · see the words
  • (a) Financial statement and report added to · Sec. 2(1), Sec. 2(3) · see the words
What the words would change: every change, in place (3)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 16 U.S.C. 831h(a)changedby H.R. 144 Sec. 2(1)

    (a) Financial statement and report. The Board shall file with the President and with the Congress, in March of each year, a financial statementa report of the total number of employees at the management level or above, to include all executives and board members, that shall include the names, salaries, and duties of such employees, that are receiving compensation at or greater than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule and a complete report as to the business of the Corporation covering the preceding governmental fiscal year. This report shall include an itemized statement of the cost of power at each power station, the total number of employees and the…

    The bill says: in subsection (a), by striking "a financial statement" and all that follows through "$1,500 a year" and inserting "a report of the total number of employees at the management level or above, to include all executives and board members, that shall include the names, salaries, and duties of such employees, that are receiving compensation at or greater than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS–15 of the General Schedule";

  2. 16 U.S.C. 831hchangedby H.R. 144 Sec. 2(2)

    9 Financial reporting.—(a) Report on compensation.—(1) In general.—

    The bill says: by striking all that precedes "The Board shall" and inserting the following:

  3. 16 U.S.C. 831h(a)added (2)by H.R. 144 Sec. 2(3)

    (2) Exemption.— The information concerning salaries of employees of the Corporation contained in, or filed with, the report described in paragraph (1) is exempt from—(A) disclosure under section 552(b)(3) of title 5, United States Code; and(B) the requirements of the Access to Congressionally Mandated Reports Act (Public Law 117–263).

    The bill says: in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

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Tennessee Valley Authority Salary Transparency Act

This bill expands reporting requirements for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA is a government corporation that provides electricity in Tennessee and in portions of several surrounding states. It also provides flood control, navigation, and land management services for the Tennessee River system.

The bill reinstates the requirement for TVA to file an annual financial statement and report with Congress in March. (The requirement was terminated by the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995.)

The bill also modifies the requirement that the report include the names, salaries, and duties of employees earning more than $1,500 a year. Under the bill, this information is only required for employees earning more than the maximum rate of basic pay for grade GS-13 of the General Schedule.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Jan 3, 2025).

Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.

What has happened

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  1. Jan 15, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 - 0 (Roll no. 14). (text: 1/13/2025 CR H105) Roll call recordLibrary of Congress
  2. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Show all 13 recorded actions

Recorded votes

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  1. Jan 15, 2025 · HousePassed 423–0
    On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · needed two-thirds
    R 214 yes, 0 noD 209 yes, 0 noEach member · Record

Cosponsors

  • Tim Burchett R-TN-2