H.R. 8365 · 119th Congress

Monitor Accountability Act

Introduced on Apr 20, 2026 by Andy Biggs (R-AZ-5). 2 cosponsors, all from the sponsor's party. Latest action (May 18, 2026): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Stage
Passed one chamber
Introduced
Apr 20, 2026
Cosponsors
2
0 from the other party
Policy area
Law
Open in the Congress explorerCongress.govAlert me

Progress

The furthest stage the measure reached. Simple and concurrent resolutions do not go to the President.

  1. Introduced
  2. Reported by committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. 4Passed both chambers
  5. 5Sent to the President
  6. 6Became law

Official title

To provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes.

Subjects

  • Federal district courts
  • Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
  • Government information and archives
  • Judicial procedure and administration
  • Legal fees and court costs

Summary

By the Congressional Research Service (Reported to House, May 4, 2026). Public domain.

Monitor Accountability Act

This bill requires the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to establish conditions on the appointment of monitors to oversee state and local governmental entities. A monitor is an independent official appointed to oversee corrective reforms as part of a civil settlement agreement or consent decree, such as to remedy a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing.

Among the conditions, this bill requires notice and an opportunity for public comment prior to the appointment of a monitor, limits an individual to one monitor appointment at a time, sets a five-year term limit for monitors, and requires a public accounting of the fees charged and services provided by the monitor. It also caps fees and explicitly authorizes the use of pro bono services.

In 2021, the Department of Justice began implementing a set of principles and specific recommendations regarding the use of monitors in civil settlement agreements and consent decrees involving state and local governmental entities, including recommendations relating to term limits, capping fees, and public accountability.

Sponsor and cosponsors

Cosponsors by party as of the day they signed on. Original cosponsors signed on the day of introduction.

Andy BiggsR-AZ-5Sponsor

Republicans · 2

Roll calls

Recorded votes on the measure. Most measures move by voice vote or unanimous consent, which record no individual positions.

  1. On Motion to Recommit
    May 14, 2026· House· Procedural· Failed 210–213
  2. On Passage
    May 14, 2026· House· Passage· Passed 219–204

History

Every action as published, oldest first. Roll calls link to how each member voted.

  1. Apr 20, 2026Introduced in House
  2. Apr 20, 2026Introduced in House
  3. Apr 20, 2026 · HouseReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
  4. Apr 22, 2026 · HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  5. Apr 22, 2026 · HouseOrdered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 13 - 11.
  6. May 4, 2026Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-635.
  7. May 4, 2026 · HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-635.
  8. May 4, 2026 · HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 551.
  9. May 12, 2026 · HouseRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1275 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5625, H.R. 6260, H.R. 8365, H. Con. Res. 96 and H.R. 8469. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 5625, H.R. 6260, H.R. 8365, and H.Con.Res. 96 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8469 under a structured rule. The resolution makes in order one motion to recommit on each bill.
  10. May 14, 2026 · HouseConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1275. (consideration: CR H3480-3486)
  11. May 14, 2026 · HouseRule provides for consideration of H.R. 5625, H.R. 6260, H.R. 8365, H. Con. Res. 96 and H.R. 8469. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 5625, H.R. 6260, H.R. 8365, and H.Con.Res. 96 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8469 under a structured rule. The resolution makes in order one motion to recommit on each bill.
  12. May 14, 2026 · HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 8365.
  13. May 14, 2026 · HouseThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  14. May 14, 2026 · HouseMr. Boyle (PA) moved to recommit to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H3486)
  15. May 14, 2026 · HouseThe previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
  16. May 14, 2026 · HousePOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 8365, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Boyle (PA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
  17. May 14, 2026 · HouseConsidered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3507-3509)
  18. May 14, 2026 · HouseOn motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 213 (Roll no. 172).House · Roll call 172
  19. May 14, 2026Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 219 - 204 (Roll no. 173). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3480)House · Roll call 173
  20. May 14, 2026 · HouseOn passage Passed by recorded vote: 219 - 204 (Roll no. 173). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3480)House · Roll call 173
  21. May 14, 2026 · HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  22. May 18, 2026 · SenateReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Committees

Committees and subcommittees the measure was referred to.

Agencies in its committees' jurisdiction

Analisa's mapping of committee jurisdiction to federal agencies; the bill may touch others, or none of these.

Who lobbied on it

Organizations whose lobbying reports (LD-2) name this measure. Spending is what they reported for those quarters on all issues, not on this measure alone.

  1. American Civil Liberties Union1 report
    $670K reported (all issues)
  2. Peace Officers Research Association of California1 report
    $50K reported (all issues)

Reports filed in 2026.

Sources and method

Every figure on this page traces to these records.

  • Bill status: bills and resolutions, sponsors, actions, subjects and CRS summaries (U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo), from Congress.gov (Library of Congress))GovInfo Bill Status bulk data (Congress.gov; summaries by the Congressional Research Service) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Members of Congress, their terms, committees and identifiers (The @unitedstates project (from the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House and the Senate))unitedstates/congress-legislators: legislators, committees and current committee membership · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
  • House roll-call votes (Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, roll-call vote records · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Senate roll-call votes and DW-NOMINATE scores (Voteview (UCLA Department of Political Science))Lewis, Jeffrey B., Keith Poole, Howard Rosenthal, Adam Boche, Aaron Rudkin, and Luke Sonnet (2026). Voteview: Congressional Roll-Call Votes Database. https://voteview.com/ · data current to Oct 3, 2026 · loaded Oct 3, 2026 · license: Free to use with the required citation
  • Lobbying disclosures (LD-1 registrations, LD-2 quarterly reports, LD-203 contribution reports) (Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives)Clerk of the House, Lobbying Disclosure Act filings (organizations only; lobbyists' names are not loaded) · data current to Oct 6, 2026 · loaded Oct 6, 2026 · license: Public domain (U.S. Government work, 17 U.S.C. § 105)
  • Positions are shown only where a roll call recorded them; voice votes and unanimous consent record none.
  • Money and votes are shown side by side; neither explains the other.