Congress requires federal agencies to inventory software and curb unused licenses and hidden cloud costs

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5862-5864)

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5862-5864)

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5457.

Each agency completes its comprehensive software assessment

Agencies should have a detailed picture of licenses, contracts, restrictions, duplication, and total software costs, which can trigger license reductions or contract changes.

Agencies send completed assessments to OMB, GSA, GAO, and Congress

Oversight groups get the same information, making it harder for wasteful or duplicate software spending to stay hidden.

Agencies submit their software modernization plans

Agencies lay out how they will consolidate licenses, tighten approvals for new software, automate license tracking, train staff, and estimate costs and expected savings.

OMB and GSA deliver a government-wide recommendations report to Congress

Congress gets a cross-agency set of recommendations on interoperability, consolidation, cost reduction, and better oversight—potentially shaping future rules and buying strategies.

GAO publishes a government-wide report card on software asset management

The public and Congress get an outside review of trends, comparisons across agencies, and whether agencies followed the rules on using contractors without conflicts of interest.