Congress·In Committee·H.R. 7431

Congressional Civics Act of 2026

Congress Proposes Mandatory Civics Test for Lawmakers to Hold Office or Committee Seats

5 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would require every Member of Congress to pass a civics test to prove they understand how the U.S. government works. The test would consist of 25 questions randomly picked from a list of 100 topics, including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and major events like the Civil War and World War II.
Even before a change to the Constitution is finalized, the bill would prevent any lawmaker from joining a committee unless they pass the test. This means they could not help write specific laws or oversee government agencies without first showing they know basic American history and government rules.
To keep the process fair and open, the test questions and correct answers would be published for the public to see. Any American citizen would also be able to take the test for free online to see if they can pass the same exam required of their representatives.
If a newly elected or appointed lawmaker cannot pass the test within two weeks of starting their job, their seat would be declared vacant. While individuals can only take the test three times per year normally, those elected to office would be given a specific opportunity to pass before losing their seat.
The goal of this policy is to ensure that the people making the nation's laws have a solid grasp of the country's founding documents and the separation of powers. It addresses concerns that some leaders may not fully understand the system they are elected to lead.

EducationCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

The civics exam includes questions about federalism and the relationship between the U.S. and Indian Tribes. While this could promote awareness of tribal sovereignty among lawmakers, there's no guarantee the exam questions would accurately reflect tribal perspectives or priorities. The practical effect on tribal members is minimal since this bill primarily affects members of Congress, not tribal communities directly.

ImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Broader Impacts

DomainScoreShort-termLong-termReversibilityConfidence

Score

Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Feb 9, 2026House

Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Feb 9, 2026

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.

News

No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Congressional Civics Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7431

Congress119th Congress

ChamberHouse of Representatives

Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.