H.R. 2417 explained · 119th Congress · Pending in Congress
Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act
Cosponsors: 3 (1 D, 2 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-12
Introduced: 2025-03-27
Latest action (2025-03-27): Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
What H.R. 2417 does, in plain terms
Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act This bill requires federal agencies and Intelligence Community (IC) elements to assess their software inventory and develop software management plans. The bill requires each agency and each IC element to complete a comprehensive assessment of the software paid for by, in use at, or deployed throughout the agency or element. The assessment must include information such as (1) the current inventory of software; (2) contracts and other arrangements used to acquire, build, deploy, or use the software; (3) costs and fees not included in the initial contract or agreement; and (4) the interoperability of the software and restrictions on its use. Each agency and IC element must use their assessment to develop a plan to consolidate software entitlements, develop procedures for cost-effective acquisition strategies, and restrict subordinate entities from using any software entitlement without approval. (A software entitlement is software that has been purchased, leased, or licensed by or billed to an agency and that is subject to use limitations.) Such plans must be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress. Within two years of enactment, OMB must submit recommendations to Congress regarding government software procurement policies and practices to • increase the interoperability of software licenses; • consolidate licenses when appropriate; • reduce costs; • improve performance; and • modernize the management and oversight of agency software. The GAO must report on certain related topics, including governmentwide trends in agency software asset management practices and comparisons of such practices among agencies.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.
Constitution Index
“VFA Constitution grade”
Minor constitutional concerns
Graded 2026-10-11
SI-generated grade · five published checks · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology
The bill is a routine internal management measure that directs federal agencies to inventory and manage their software assets. It operates within the federal government's own operations and does not regulate private conduct or restrict individual rights. The primary constitutional concern is the delegation of authority to the Intelligence Community, which may implicate the President's Article II powers over intelligence activities, but the bill's requirements are administrative and do not directly infringe on those powers. The bill is otherwise consistent with the Constitution's allocation of powers.
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✓ Passes · Enumerated powers
The bill directs federal agencies to manage their software assets, which falls under Congress's power to make rules for the governance of the federal government under Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 (the Necessary and Proper Clause), and its authority over federal property and operations. It also relates to Congress's power to appropriate funds and oversee the executive branch. The bill does not r… -
✓ Passes · Bill of Rights
The bill imposes internal management requirements on federal agencies and does not affect the rights of individuals. It does not implicate speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, arms, quartering, search and seizure, self-incrimination, due process, trial rights, jury rights, cruel and unusual punishment, or unenumerated rights. The Tenth Amendment is not implicated because the bill does not … -
✓ Passes · Individual sovereignty
The bill does not restrict the actions of private individuals or businesses. It only imposes obligations on federal agencies and IC elements. There is no restriction on personal liberty, property, speech, labor, or belief. The government is not burdening individual freedom, so the compelling justification test is not triggered. -
✓ Passes · Decentralization
The bill concerns the internal management of the federal government's software assets. It does not involve individuals, local communities, or states. The federal government is the appropriate level to manage its own operations. The bill does not consolidate decision-making upward from lower levels of government; it simply directs federal agencies to report to OMB and Congress, which is consistent … -
✓ Passes · Due process and takings
The bill does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property. It does not involve adjudication, penalties, or takings. It merely requires agencies to assess and plan for software management. There is no due process or takings issue.
Sources: Congress.gov: HR 2417 summary
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