H.R. 7025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7025 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7025

To amend title 5, United States Code, to require the implementation of 
evidence-based practices with respect to certain Federal grants, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 13, 2026

Mr. Yakym (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Timmons, Ms. 
Ross, and Mr. Moore of Utah) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 5, United States Code, to require the implementation of 
evidence-based practices with respect to certain Federal grants, and 
for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES WITH RESPECT 
TO CERTAIN FEDERAL GRANTS.

(a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 3 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 315 the following:
``Sec. 316. Requirement to implement evidence-based practices with 
respect to certain Federal grants
``(a) Requirements.--The head of a covered agency shall, with 
respect to each covered grant of the agency--
``(1) include in any notice of funding opportunity, request 
for proposals, or announcement with respect to the grant a 
clearly defined purpose for the grant, including clearly 
defined intended outcomes for the use of any funds provided 
under the grant;
``(2) prioritize awarding the covered grant--
``(A) to applicants that have--
``(i) implemented practices that are 
evidence-based; and
``(ii) demonstrated in the application for 
the grant that the applicant will use the 
funding for such practices to achieve results 
compatible with the purpose for the grant (as 
defined in the notice of funding opportunity, 
request for proposal, and or announcement for 
the grant);
``(B) to applicants--
``(i) that submit applications that are 
responsive to community needs; and
``(ii) from organizations located in or 
representative of the community in which the 
grant seeks to serve; and
``(C) in accordance section 200.202 of title 2, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulation);
``(3) require recipients of a covered grant to use 
practices that are evidenced-based in providing any services to 
the public or a specific community using funds provided under 
such grant; and
``(4) acting through the Evaluation officer of the agency--
``(A) in accordance with subsection (b), conduct 
periodic evaluations that are evidence-based during the 
term of the covered grant to determine, with respect 
each activity carried out using funds provided under 
the covered grant, whether such funds are being used 
effectively to achieve the intended outcomes for the 
use of funds provided under the grant (as defined in 
the notice of funding opportunity, requests for 
proposal, or announcement for the grant);
``(B) establish a process by which such evaluations 
are to be conducted;
``(C) make the results of such evaluations 
available to the public; and
``(D) use such results to inform decision making in 
the development of future notices of funding 
opportunity, requests for proposal, or announcements 
for the grant.
``(b) Evaluation.--In carrying out each evaluation required by 
subsection (a)(3), each Evaluation officer shall adhere to Federal 
program evaluation standards, including by using the different types of 
evaluation, such as impact, outcome, process or implementation, and 
formative evaluation, in carrying out such evaluation.
``(c) Agency Report to Congress.--The head of each covered agency 
shall submit an annual report to Congress on the activities carried out 
by the head of each covered agency under this section.
``(d) Technical Assistance.--The head of each covered agency may 
provide technical assistance to recipients of grants of the agency in 
carrying out any requirement established pursuant to this section.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered agency.--The term `covered agency' means the 
following:
``(A) Department of Agriculture.
``(B) Department of Commerce.
``(C) Department of Education.
``(D) Department of Energy.
``(E) Department of Health and Human Services.
``(F) Department of Homeland Security.
``(G) Department of Housing and Urban Development.
``(H) Department of the Interior.
``(I) Department of Justice.
``(J) Department of Labor.
``(K) Department of Transportation.
``(L) Department of the Treasury.
``(M) Department of Veterans Affairs.
``(N) The Environmental Protection Agency.
``(O) The Small Business Administration.
``(2) Covered grant.--The term `covered grant' means a 
grant made by the head of the covered agency for the purpose of 
the recipient of such grant providing a service to the public 
or specific community using the funds provided under such 
grant.
``(3) Federal program evaluation standards.--The term 
`Federal program evaluation standards' means standards and 
practices described in the Office of Management and Budget 
Memorandum M-20-12 (relating to the implementation of the 
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 and 
Program Evaluation Standards and Practices).''.
(b) Definition and Application of the Term ``Evidence-Based''.--
(1) OMB guidance.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
issue to the heads of covered agencies guidance on how 
to define and apply the term ``evidence-based'' for the 
purpose of implementing section 316 of title 5, United 
States Code (as added by subsection (a)).
(B) Contents.--The guidance issued by the Director 
under subparagraph (A) shall provide the head of each 
such agency the flexibility to define or apply the term 
``evidence-based'' in a manner--
(i) that aligns with the mission and 
programs of the agency; and
(ii) consistent with Federal program 
evaluation standards.
(2) Agency guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the 
Director issues the guidance required by paragraph (1), the 
head of each covered agency, acting through the Evaluation 
officer of the agency, shall--
(A) define the term ``evidence-based'' for the 
purposes of implementing section 316 of title 5, United 
States Code, with respect to the covered grants of the 
agency--
(i) in accordance with such guidance;
(ii) in a manner consistent with Federal 
program evaluation standards;
(iii) after publishing a notice in the 
Federal Register that includes--
(I) a proposed definition of such 
term; and
(II) a description of how the 
community engagement practices, 
evidence-based standards, and 
evaluation requirements of such section 
will be applied by the agency to such 
grants; and
(iv) after providing an opportunity for 
public comment regarding such proposed 
definition, not later than the date that is 60 
days after the publication of the notice 
required by clause (iii);
(B) establish a framework for identifying 
applicants proposing to implement practices that are 
evidence-based, for the purpose of prioritizing the 
award of covered grants to such applicants in 
accordance with section 316(a)(2)(A) of title 5, United 
States Code; and
(C) make such definition and framework available to 
the public.
(3) Implementation.--Beginning on the date that is 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the head of 
each agency shall implement the framework established by the 
head of the agency under paragraph (2)(B) with respect to each 
covered grant of the agency.
(c) Application.--Beginning on the date that is 180 days after the 
head of a covered agency makes the definition required by subsection 
(b)(2)(A) for that agency available to the public in accordance with 
such subsection, section 316 of title 5, United States Code, shall 
apply to each covered grant of the agency, where practicable.
(d) Reports.--
(1) Initial implementation report to omb.--Not later than 
180 days after the head of a covered agency makes the 
definition and framework required by subsection (b)(2)(B) 
available to the public in accordance with such subsection, the 
head of the agency shall submit to the Director a report on how 
the head will implement the requirements of section 316 of 
title 5, United States Code, with respect to the covered grants 
for the agency that includes an initial list of covered grants 
with respect to which the head of the agency will be 
implementing the framework.
(2) Initial implementation report to congress.--Beginning 
on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, and each year thereafter until the date that is 5 
years after the date of such enactment, the Director of OMB 
shall submit an annual report to Congress on the progress of 
implementing the provisions of this Act that includes, with 
respect to the year preceding the report--
(A) progress on--
(i) defining the term ``evidence-based'' 
for the purposes of implementing section 316 of 
title 5, United States Code, with respect to 
the covered grants; and
(ii) implementing evidence-based practices 
with respect to the covered grants included on 
the list required by paragraph (1);
(B) comprehensive details on how the head of each 
covered agency is defining, integrating, and 
implementing the framework required by subsection 
(b)(2)(B) for the covered grants of the agency; and
(C) an assessment of whether the heads of covered 
agencies are implementing the provisions of this Act, 
and the amendments made by this Act, in similar or 
divergent manners, and any recommendations on where 
greater alignment in such implementation may improve or 
streamline the application process for persons seeking 
multiple grants.
(3) Annual omb report.--Beginning on the date that is one 
year after the framework required by subsection (b)(2)(B) has 
begun to be implemented by the heads of covered agencies, and 
each year thereafter, the Director of OMB shall submit a report 
to Congress on the extent to which the head of covered agencies 
have used such framework in awarding grants, including--
(A) the number of covered grants with respect to 
which the head has used such framework; and
(B) select examples of grants of the covered agency 
with respect to which the head of the covered agency 
has successfully used such framework to select the 
recipients of such grant.
(4) Future grantmaking.--Not later than 1 year after the 
head of a covered agency has begun to implement the framework 
established by the head of the agency in accordance with 
subsection (b)(2)(B), the head of such agency shall submit to 
the Director a comprehensive report that--
(A) identifies best practices for future 
grantmaking by the agency; and
(B) makes recommendations for future improvements 
to the strategies the agency uses to evaluate grants 
under section 316(a)(3) of title 5, United States Code, 
to enhance the impact of Federal grant investments.
(e) Definitions.--In this Act, the terms ``covered agency'', 
``covered grant'', and ``Federal program evaluation standards'' have 
the meaning given such terms in section 316 of title 5, United States 
Code, as added by subsection (a).
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