Contact Congress about H.R. 143: Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act
Federal programs that Congress hasn't officially renewed would face automatic budget cuts of 10–15% per year. After three years without renewal, they'd be shut down completely. Congress can stop the cuts by renewing programs for up to three years at a time.
Modern Action explains legislation in plain English, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act is a House bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 19.
Latest action on H.R. 143: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 19.
Who this affects: This bill has the potential to touch nearly every corner of the federal government because hundreds of programs operate with expired authorizations in any given year.
Why this matters: Right now, Congress routinely funds programs that technically have no current legal authorization — sometimes for years or even decades. This bill would force that issue by attaching real financial consequences to inaction.
Key provisions in H.R. 143
- Covers any federal program the Congressional Budget Office lists as having an expired or expiring authorization in its annual report — that's potentially hundreds of programs across government.
- Any program that lost its authorization before 2026 but is still getting funded gets treated as if it expires in 2026, putting it on the reduction schedule right away.
- In the first year after a program's authorization expires, its budget level must be cut by 10% based on what it received in its last authorized year.
- If the program is still unauthorized in years two and three, the budget gets cut by 15% each year — again based on the last authorized year's funding.
- After each required cut, the Budget Committee chairs in both chambers must send the new, lower budget levels to the Appropriations Committees.
How Modern Action helps you take action on H.R. 143
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about H.R. 143
- What is H.R. 143?
- Federal programs that Congress hasn't officially renewed would face automatic budget cuts of 10–15% per year. After three years without renewal, they'd be shut down completely. Congress can stop the cuts by renewing programs for up to three years at a time.
- How do I support or oppose H.R. 143?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about H.R. 143?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain H.R. 143 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.