arrow_back Civic Audit
Share share

Limiting Indirect Costs in Federal Research Grants for Universities

This act aims to cap the indirect costs universities can charge on federal research grants. The goal is to ensure taxpayer money is spent more efficiently on research, rather than administration. It also mandates a study of these costs to better understand how funds are utilized.
Key points
Universities cannot charge higher indirect costs on federal research grants than on private research awards.
The Office of Management and Budget will annually determine the average indirect cost rate for private research awards.
A study will compare indirect cost rates in federal and private research awards, including administrative staff funding.
A report with recommendations to improve the indirect cost system will be submitted to Congress.
article Official text account_balance Process page notifications_active Track this Bill
gavel
Status:
Expired
Record your position for audit.
Why does your vote on bills matter?
It creates raw, undeniable proof. Civic Will provides the permanent data to verify the Government's loyalty towards its citizens (explained here). Start recording it now.
Additional Information
Print number: 118_HR_6847
Sponsor: Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6]
Process start date: 2023-12-19
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Federal Grant Accountability Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_HR_6847.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-12-19.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Universities cannot charge higher indirect costs on federal research grants than on private research awards.
  • The Office of Management and Budget will annually determine the average indirect cost rate for private research awards.
  • A study will compare indirect cost rates in federal and private research awards, including administrative staff funding.
  • A report with recommendations to improve the indirect cost system will be submitted to Congress.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-25.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Education Public Investments