I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5465 

To require the head of each agency to allow members of Congress access 

to certain Federal buildings, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 

Mr. ALFORD (for himself, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas, 

Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana, Mr. HUDSON, Mr. 

MANN, Mr. DONALDS, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN

of Florida, Mr. FALLON, Mr. MEUSER, Mrs. HINSON, Mr. CLYDE, Mr. 

FRY, Mr. EDWARDS, Ms. VAN DUYNE, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mr. 

CRANE, Mr. LANGWORTHY, Mr. ISSA, Mr. BURLISON, Mr. VAN DREW, 

Mr. COLLINS, Mr. VAN ORDEN, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, and Mr. JACKSON of 

Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To require the head of each agency to allow members of 

Congress access to certain Federal buildings, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Congressional Access 

5 to Bureaucratic Offices Act’’ or the ‘‘CABO Act’’. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 5465 IH

1 SEC. 2. ACCESS TO FEDERAL BUILDINGS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The head of each agency shall 

3 allow Members of Congress and congressional staff mem4 bers to access the building that serves as the headquarters 

5 of such agency during regular business hours. 

6 (b) REQUIREMENTS.— 

7 (1) IDENTIFICATION.—The head of each agency 

8 shall require a Member of Congress seeking access 

9 to a building described in subsection (a) to provide 

10 congressional identification. 

11 (2) CONGRESSIONAL STAFF.—The head of each 

12 agency shall allow a congressional staff member to 

13 access a building described in subsection (a) if— 

14 (A) such staff member is accompanied by 

15 the Member of Congress that employs the staff 

16 member; and 

17 (B) such staff member provides a valid 

18 congressional staff identification badge upon 

19 seeking access to such building. 

20 (c) EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.—The require21 ments of subsection (a) shall apply during an extenuating 

22 circumstance and any restriction on access to a building 

23 that is imposed on the public during such a circumstance 

24 shall not apply to a Member of Congress or an applicable 

25 congressional staff member. 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 5465 IH

1 (d) EXCEPTION FOR AREAS REQUIRING SECURITY

2 CLEARANCE.—The requirements of subsection (a) shall 

3 not apply to any part of a building for which a security 

4 clearance at the level of secret or higher is required for 

5 entry. 

6 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

7 (1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the 

8 meaning given such term in section 551 of title 5, 

9 United States Code. 

10 (2) CONGRESSIONAL IDENTIFICATION.—The 

11 term ‘‘congressional identification’’ means any form 

12 of identification issued to Members by the Clerk or 

13 Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives 

14 (in the case of a Member of the House of Represent15 atives) or by the Secretary or Sergeant at Arms and 

16 Doorkeeper of the Senate (in the case of a Senator). 

17 (3) CONGRESSIONAL STAFF MEMBER.—The 

18 term ‘‘congressional staff member’’ means a full19 time staff member of the House of Representatives 

20 or the Senate. 

21 (4) EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCE.—The term 

22 ‘‘extenuating circumstance’’ means an event for 

23 which— 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 5465 IH

1 (A) the President has declared an emer2 gency pursuant to section 202 of the National 

3 Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622); or 

4 (B) the Secretary of Health and Human 

5 Services has declared an emergency pursuant to 

6 section 319 of the Public Health Service Act 

7 (42 U.S.C. 247d). 

8 (5) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Mem9 ber of Congress’’ means a Member of the House of 

10 Representatives or a Senator. 

11 SEC. 3. COMPLIANCE WITH CUTGO. 

12 No additional amounts are authorized to be appro13 priated to carry out this Act. Such Act shall be carried 

14 out using amounts otherwise appropriated to the head of 

15 the agency. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB