# Understanding the REACT Act

The REACT Act is about making it easier for members of Congress to get information from government agencies. Right now, when Congress wants documents or data from an executive agency (like the Department of Defense, EPA, or any other federal department), the agency can sometimes delay or refuse to provide it. This bill changes that by lowering the bar for when agencies must comply with information requests.

Here's what changes: Instead of requiring an entire committee to formally request information, just a small group of individual members can now demand it. In the House of Representatives, any 7 members of a committee can request information from an agency, and in the Senate, just 5 members can do the same. The agency then has to provide that information within 45 days, or whatever deadline the committee members specify in their request. This applies to any information that relates to matters the committee is supposed to oversee.

The real teeth in this bill comes from enforcement. If an agency ignores or delays providing the requested information, those committee members can now take the agency to federal court to force compliance. Previously, there wasn't a clear legal mechanism for individual members to sue over this. Now they can ask a judge to order the agency to hand over the documents or data they're asking for.

In practical terms, this makes it harder for government agencies to stonewall Congress. A smaller group of lawmakers—even from the minority party on a committee—can now independently demand information and have legal recourse if they're ignored. This could lead to more oversight activity and faster disclosure of government information to Congress, though it could also increase the number of information requests agencies have to handle.

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.