Presidential Transition Enhancement Act of 2019
Public Law 116-121 · S. 394 · 116th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Mar 3, 2020 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. Thomas Carper, Sen. Maggie Hassan,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Presidential Transition Enhancement Act of 2019
This bill makes changes intended to smooth the transfer of executive power during presidential transitions.
The bill provides for the detailing of legislative branch employees on a reimbursable basis to office staffs designated by the President-elect or Vice President-elect with the consent of the supervising Member of Congress.
The bill extends support provided by the General Services Administration (GSA) to the President- and Vice President-elect for up to 60 days after the inauguration.
By September 1 of a year during which a presidential election occurs, the GSA shall enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with each eligible candidate, which shall include the conditions for administrative support services and facilities. To the maximum extent practicable, an MOU shall be based on MOUs relating to previous presidential transitions. Each MOU shall include an agreement that the eligible candidate will implement and enforce an ethics plan to guide the conduct of the transition beginning on the date on which such candidate becomes President-elect. The plan shall be published on the GSA website.
By September 15 of a year during which a presidential election occurs, each agency shall ensure that a succession plan is in place for each senior noncareer position in the agency.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
3 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 964Related bill
Transition Team Ethics Improvement Act
S. 338Related bill
Transition Team Ethics Improvement Act
S. 949Related bill
For the People Act of 2019
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Mar 3, 2020Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 116-121.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Feb 20, 2020FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Feb 5, 2020FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 394.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mrs. Maloney, Carolyn B. moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Aug 2, 2019FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
- Aug 1, 2019FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Mar 25, 2019CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 44.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with amendments. With written report No. 116-13.
- Feb 13, 2019CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Feb 7, 2019CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.