HR 4138 113th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Administrative law and regulatory procedures Civil actions and liability Congressional oversight Congressional-executive branch relations Constitution and constitutional amendments Judicial review and appeals Legislative rules and procedure Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents Supreme Court

ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014

Introduced: March 6, 2014 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 33 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Mar 13, 2014

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mar 12, 2014

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 233 - 181 (Roll no. 124).

Mar 12, 2014

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 187 - 228 (Roll no. 123). (consideration: CR H2339)

Mar 12, 2014

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H2338)

Mar 12, 2014

DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Ruiz motion to recommit with instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to add at the end of the bill Section 3, Protecting States' Rights, and adding Section 4, Restoring Unemploymnet Benefits for America's Job Seekers. Pending a reservation of a point of order. Subsequently, the reservation was removed.

Mar 12, 2014

Mr. Ruiz moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary. (consideration: CR H2338-2339; text: CR H2338)

Mar 12, 2014

The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2329-2330)

Mar 12, 2014

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H2337)

Mar 12, 2014

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Mar 12, 2014

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 4138.

Mar 12, 2014

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

Mar 12, 2014

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 511, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cicilline Part A amendment No. 4.

Mar 12, 2014

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Jackson Lee Part A amendment No. 3, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Jackson Lee demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

Mar 12, 2014

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 511, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jackson Lee Part A amendment No. 3.

Mar 12, 2014

The Committee rose informally to receive a message from the President of the United States, and resumed its sitting afterwards.

Mar 12, 2014

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Nadler Part A amendment No. 2, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Nadler demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

Mar 12, 2014

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 511, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Nadler Part A amendment No. 2.

Mar 12, 2014

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Conyers Part A amendment No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Conyers demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.

Mar 12, 2014

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 511, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Conyers Part A amendment No. 1.

Mar 12, 2014

GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 4138.

Mar 12, 2014

The Speaker designated the Honorable Glenn Thompson to act as Chairman of the Committee.

Mar 12, 2014

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 511 and Rule XVIII.

Mar 12, 2014

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4138 and H.R. 3973. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order.

Mar 12, 2014

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 511. (consideration: CR H2319-2340)

Mar 11, 2014

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 511 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4138 and H.R. 3973. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order.

Mar 7, 2014

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 281.

Mar 7, 2014

Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 113-377.

Mar 5, 2014

Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 14.

Mar 5, 2014

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Mar 5, 2014

Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice Discharged.

Mar 4, 2014

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Mar 4, 2014

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Mar 4, 2014

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 2

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Mar 12, 2014	House · vote #124	On Passage	Passed	233–181	See who voted →
Mar 12, 2014	House · vote #123	On Motion to Recommit with Instructions	Failed	187–228	See who voted →

Amendments to this bill 4

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to 3 failed

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Status	Latest action
HAMDT 592	–	Amendment provides for transparent accounting of the costs of litigation by requiring the Comptroller General…	Agreed to	Mar 12, 2014
HAMDT 591	–	Amendment sought to protect the ability of the Executive Branch to comply with judicial decisions interpretin…	Failed	Mar 12, 2014
HAMDT 590	Nadler, Jerrold	Amendment sought to clarify that nothing in the act limits or otherwise affects the constitutional authority …	Failed	Mar 12, 2014
HAMDT 589	–	Amendment sought to exclude from the bill's scope any executive actions taken to combat discrimination or to …	Failed	Mar 12, 2014

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Executive Needs to Faithfully Observe and Respect Congressional Enactments of the Law Act of 2014 or the ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014 - Authorizes either chamber of Congress, upon adoption of a resolution declaring that the President or any officer or employee of the United States has established or implemented a policy, practice, or procedure to refrain from enforcing, applying, following, or administering any federal statute, rule, regulation, program, policy, or other law in violation of the constitutional requirement that the President faithfully execute the laws of the United States, to bring a civil action for a declaratory judgment to that effect.

Grants jurisdiction to a three-judge panel of a U.S. district court to hear such civil action and provides for an expedited direct appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to submit quarterly reports to the congressional judiciary committees on the costs of any civil action brought under this Act, incuding any attorney fees paid in connection with any such action.

What's happening now March 13, 2014

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Related & companion bills 2

Bill text 4 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Referred in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 3

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee
Senate

Cosponsors 20

Missouri · Mar 6, 2014

California · Mar 4, 2014

Jordan, Jim

Ohio · Mar 4, 2014

Kelly, Mike

Pennsylvania · Mar 4, 2014

Missouri · Mar 4, 2014

SMITH, LAMAR

· Mar 4, 2014

Cite this page click to expand

APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4138: ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4138/

MLA

"H.R. 4138: ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4138/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 4138, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4138/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 4138: ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-4138/)