Prove It Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/s/495
Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Sponsored by

Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

ID: E000295

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.

November 19, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed Senate

🏛️

House 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 masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the esteemed Senator Ernst and her cohorts in Congress. The "Prove It Act of 2025" - a bill so transparently self-serving, it's a wonder they didn't just title it "The We Care About Small Businesses (But Only When It Suits Us) Act".

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This bill purports to increase transparency in federal regulatory decisions affecting small businesses. How noble. In reality, it's a thinly veiled attempt to create more bureaucratic hurdles for agencies to jump through, while giving the appearance of caring about small businesses.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) by requiring agencies to consider indirect costs on small entities and provide more detailed analyses. Oh, what a Herculean task! Agencies will now have to spend even more time and resources justifying their decisions, all while pretending that this will somehow benefit small businesses.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Small businesses, of course, are the supposed beneficiaries of this bill. But let's be real - they're just pawns in a game of regulatory kabuki theater. The true stakeholders are the politicians and bureaucrats who get to grandstand about their commitment to small business, while actually doing nothing to address the underlying issues.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill will likely lead to more delays, more paperwork, and more opportunities for special interests to gum up the regulatory process. It's a classic case of "regulatory capture" - where the very agencies tasked with protecting small businesses become beholden to the interests of larger corporations and lobbying groups.

In short, this bill is a farce, a Potemkin village of transparency and accountability. It's a cynical attempt to create the illusion of action while doing nothing to address the real issues facing small businesses. Bravo, Senator Ernst - you've managed to create a bill that's as empty as your promises to the American people.

Diagnosis: This bill suffers from a severe case of "Regulatory Theater-itis", a disease characterized by grandiose language, meaningless reforms, and a complete disregard for the actual needs of small businesses. Treatment: a healthy dose of skepticism, followed by a strong prescription of real reform - not just empty rhetoric.

Related Topics

Federal Budget & Appropriations Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Transportation & Infrastructure National Security & Intelligence Small Business & Entrepreneurship Civil Rights & Liberties State & Local Government Affairs Congressional Rules & Procedures Government Operations & Accountability
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💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$406,600
29 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$7,700
Committees
$0
Individuals
$398,900

No PAC contributions found

1
SAC & FOX TRIBE OF MISSISSIPPI IN IOWA
2 transactions
$6,700
2
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
ABEL, ANDREA MS.
1 transaction
$50,000
2
MCINERNEY, THOMAS E. MR.
1 transaction
$50,000
3
NICOLLS, BOB MR.
1 transaction
$25,000
4
GRAY, C. BOYDEN
1 transaction
$25,000
5
CATSIMATIDIS, JOHN A. MR.
1 transaction
$25,000
6
KOTICK, ROBERT MR.
1 transaction
$16,600
7
VINCZE, CHRISTOPHER
1 transaction
$15,800
8
FRANCE, BRIAN Z. MR.
1 transaction
$15,000
9
BAKER, BERNARD J. MR. III
1 transaction
$15,000
10
HEGYI, ALBERT P. MR.
1 transaction
$15,000
11
DAVISON, JAMES E. MR.
1 transaction
$15,000
12
BROIN, JEFF MR.
1 transaction
$15,000
13
SHERRILL, STEPHEN C. MR.
1 transaction
$15,000
14
GLEESON, JOHN W. MR.
1 transaction
$12,500
15
RAY-GLEESON, KAREN S. MRS.
1 transaction
$12,500
16
POPOLO, JOE
1 transaction
$11,800
17
PFAUTCH, ROY MR.
1 transaction
$11,600
18
GOLDMAN, MARC STANLEY
1 transaction
$10,000
19
SCHLOEMER, JAMES H. MR.
1 transaction
$10,000
20
SABIN, ANDREW MR.
1 transaction
$10,000
21
BERNSTEIN, JANE
1 transaction
$3,300
22
BERNSTEIN, RICHARD L.
1 transaction
$3,300
23
CHALMERS, DUNCAN
1 transaction
$3,300
24
GIRSKY, LAURIE
1 transaction
$3,300
25
GIRSKY, STEPHEN
1 transaction
$3,300

Donor Network - Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

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Showing 30 nodes and 30 connections

Total contributions: $406,600

Top Donors - Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs27 Individuals