{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-288","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 288","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend title 5, United States Code, to clarify the nature of judicial review of agency interpretations of statutory and regulatory provisions.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend title 5, United States Code, to clarify the nature of judicial review of agency interpretations of statutory and regulatory provisions."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"SOPRA"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-01-11","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2023-06-15","vote":{"id":"118-2023-h271","question":"On Passage","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act","result":"Passed","yea":220,"nay":211,"present":0,"not_voting":2,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll271.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.","date":"2023-06-20"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-15","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act","result":"Failed","yea":210,"nay":220,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll270.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2023-06-15","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023 or SOPRA"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill modifies the scope of judicial review of agency actions to authorize courts reviewing agency actions to decide de novo (i.e., without giving deference to the agency's interpretation) all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of (1) constitutional and statutory provisions, (2) rules made by agencies, (3) interpretative rules, (4) general statements of policy, and (5) all other agency guidance documents."},{"k":"p","t":"No law may exempt a civil action from the standard of review required by this bill except by specific reference to such provision."}],"words":95},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Amends section 706 of title 5, United States Code, to direct courts reviewing agency actions to decide all relevant questions of law de novo, including the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions, agency rules, and agency guidance documents.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#HF6E5DD0324384B638A619225CAABC287"}]},"core_areas":["Judicial review of agency actions under title 5, United States Code","De novo court review of agency interpretations of law"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Amends section 706 of title 5, United States Code, which governs the scope of judicial review of agency action.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#HF6E5DD0324384B638A619225CAABC287"}},{"text":"Removes from section 706 the words \"decide all relevant questions of law, interpret constitutional and statutory provisions, and\" from the reviewing court's listed duties.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#HF6E5DD0324384B638A619225CAABC287"}},{"text":"Adds a requirement that the reviewing court decide de novo all relevant questions of law, including the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions, rules made by agencies, and interpretative rules, general statements of policy, and all other agency guidance documents.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#HF6E5DD0324384B638A619225CAABC287"}},{"text":"Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, this standard applies in any action for judicial review of agency action authorized under any provision of law.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#HF6E5DD0324384B638A619225CAABC287"}},{"text":"Provides that no law may exempt such a civil action from this section except by specific reference to this section.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#HF6E5DD0324384B638A619225CAABC287"}},{"text":"Sets the short title as the \"Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023\" or \"SOPRA\".","cite":{"label":"Sec. 1","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh#H024D1300F92C4C85BFABDF2A3D68A4CA"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2023-06-15","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-02","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/288/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-288.png","v":"96de1f3a4f99","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 288, 118th Congress: Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2023. House: 220 Yea, 211 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 15 Jun 2023."}}