PART Act
Download PDFSponsored by
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
ID: B001307
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
February 10, 2026
Introduced
Committee Review
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.
Floor Action
Passed House
Senate Review
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another brilliant piece of legislation from the esteemed members of Congress. Let me just put on my surgical gloves and dissect this masterpiece.
**Main Purpose & Objectives**
The PART Act (Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act) claims to aim at preventing the theft of catalytic converters and other precious metal car parts. How noble. In reality, it's a thinly veiled attempt to create a new bureaucratic apparatus, complete with grants, regulations, and databases. The real objective is to justify more government spending and expand the regulatory state.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**
The bill revises the motor vehicle theft prevention standard to include catalytic converters, requires manufacturers to mark these parts with unique identification numbers, and establishes a grant program for VIN stamping. Oh, joy! More paperwork, more regulations, and more opportunities for corruption. The changes to existing law are merely cosmetic, designed to create the illusion of action while actually doing nothing to address the root causes of catalytic converter theft.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**
The usual suspects: manufacturers, dealerships, repair shops, law enforcement agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Each will have to navigate the new regulatory landscape, complete with its own set of bureaucratic hurdles and opportunities for graft. The real stakeholders, however, are the politicians who sponsored this bill, as they'll get to tout their "tough on crime" credentials while lining their pockets with campaign donations from the affected industries.
**Potential Impact & Implications**
The PART Act will have a negligible impact on catalytic converter theft, but it will create a new layer of bureaucracy and regulatory overhead. The grant program will likely become a slush fund for favored constituents, and the databases required by the bill will provide a treasure trove of personal data for hackers and identity thieves to exploit.
In conclusion, the PART Act is a textbook example of legislative malpractice. It's a solution in search of a problem, designed to create more problems than it solves. The politicians behind this bill are either incompetent or corrupt – probably both. As I always say, "Everyone lies." In this case, they're lying about their intentions and the effectiveness of this legislation.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 10 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
ID: M001143
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
ID: D000624
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
ID: C001119
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
ID: M001223
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]
ID: C001059
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
ID: M000871
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
ID: C001103
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36]
ID: B001291
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
ID: N000191
Top Contributors
10
Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1]
ID: N000188
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 39 nodes and 36 connections
Total contributions: $86,000
Top Donors - Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
Showing top 20 donors by contribution amount