H.R. 227 119th Congress House

Clergy Act

Official title: To allow a period in which members of the clergy may revoke their exemption from Social Security coverage, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 7, 2025 Introduced by: Vince Fong Republican · California See on congress.gov

Social Welfare Congressional oversightIncome tax exclusionReligionSocial security and elderly assistanceTax administration and collection, taxpayers

Everywhere this bill has been 21 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Oct 20, 2026

Signed by President.

Oct 15, 2026

Presented to President.

Oct 14, 2026

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Sep 30, 2026

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Sep 30, 2026

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Sep 30, 2026

Senate Committee on Finance discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Sep 30, 2026

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5298)

Apr 28, 2026

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

Apr 27, 2026 · 4:57 PM EDT

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3115-3116)

Apr 27, 2026 · 7:01 PM EDT

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3118-3119)

Apr 27, 2026 · 4:57 PM EDT

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 227.

Apr 27, 2026 · 4:57 PM EDT

Mr. Carey moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

Apr 27, 2026 · 5:03 PM EDT

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

Apr 27, 2026 · 7:10 PM EDT

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

Apr 27, 2026 · 7:10 PM EDT

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 350 - 5 (Roll no. 139). (text: CR H3115-3116)

Jan 7, 2026

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 370.

Jan 7, 2026

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-425.

Dec 10, 2025

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Dec 10, 2025

Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 40 - 0.

Jan 7, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Jan 7, 2025

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Apr 27, 2026	House · vote #139	On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended	Passed	350–5	See who voted →

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Latest action October 20, 2026

Signed by President.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Clergy Act

This bill establishes a two-year window for certain members of the clergy and Christian Science practitioners to revoke their exemption from Social Security and Medicare taxes on ministerial earnings. Under current law, such individuals who object to participation in public insurance programs on religious or conscientious grounds may apply to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for an irrevocable exemption and will not receive Social Security or Medicare benefits in retirement unless they have qualifying credits from other employment.

The IRS must develop a plan to inform members of the clergy and Christian Science practitioners of their eligibility to revoke prior exemptions, pursuant to the bill's changes.

Hearings & markups 1

H.R. 6500, H.R. 6504, H.R. 4930, H.R. 227, H.R. 2716, H.R. 4993, H.R. 6506, H.R. 6495, and H.R. 4242
Markup Dec 10, 2025 · 10:00 AM EST · Ways and Means Committee

Related & companion bills 3

Bill text 5 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML United States Legislative Markup
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 2

Ways and Means Committee
House of Representatives
Finance Committee
Senate

Lobbying activity 23

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

K&L GATES, LLP
for CHURCH ALLIANCE · Illinois · 3rd Quarter 2026 (July 1 - Sep 30)
K&L GATES, LLP
for THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST · Massachusetts · 1st Quarter 2025 (Jan 1 - Mar 31)
K&L GATES, LLP
for CHURCH ALLIANCE · Illinois · 1st Quarter 2025 (Jan 1 - Mar 31)
K&L GATES, LLP
for CHURCH ALLIANCE · Illinois · 2nd Quarter 2025 (Apr 1 - June 30)
K&L GATES, LLP
for CHURCH ALLIANCE · Illinois · 3rd Quarter 2025 (July 1 - Sep 30)
K&L GATES, LLP
for CHURCH ALLIANCE · Illinois · 4th Quarter 2025 (Oct 1 - Dec 31)

Bodies those filers lobbied

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
23 filings
SENATE
23 filings
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
7 filings
Treasury, Dept of
4 filings
Agriculture, Dept of (USDA)
1 filing
Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
1 filing
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
1 filing
Defense, Dept of (DOD)
1 filing

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

See all 23 filings →

Cosponsors 21