# Understanding the REACT Act

The REACT Act is about making it easier for Congress to get information from federal agencies. Right now, when Congress wants documents or data from an agency like the EPA, Department of Defense, or Social Security Administration, there's no clear requirement about how quickly the agency has to respond. This bill changes that by setting up a faster, more reliable process.

Here's what it does in practical terms: If just seven members of a House committee want information about something their committee oversees, the federal agency has to provide it within 45 days (or whatever deadline the committee requests). For Senate committees, it only takes five members to trigger this requirement. Before this bill, agencies could drag their feet or ignore requests more easily, especially if they came from a minority group within a committee. Now, even a smaller group of lawmakers can demand answers and get them on a predictable timeline.

The bill also adds teeth to enforce these rules. If an agency ignores a request or misses the deadline, the committee members can actually sue in federal court to force compliance. This is significant because it means agencies can't just hope Congress forgets about their request—there are real legal consequences for stonewalling. For everyday Americans, this matters because Congress uses this information to write laws, investigate problems, and hold agencies accountable. When Congress can't get the facts quickly, it's harder for them to do their job effectively, whether that's investigating fraud, understanding how a program works, or fixing something that's broken.

REACT Act

Burgess, Michael C.

Response from Executive Agencies to Congress on Time Act or the REACT Act This bill requires federal agencies to provide certain information at the request of additional congressional committees and specifies that agencies must respond to such requests within 45 days. Under current law, agencies must supply information requested by the Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives (or any seven of its members) or the Committee on Government Affairs of the Senate (or any five of its members), provided that the requested information relates to matters within the committees' respective jurisdictions. This bill also requires agencies to supply information requested by authorizing committees or permanent select committees.