The House voted Monday to re-pass bipartisan legislation aimed at improving how the federal government purchases and uses software.
The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act aims to streamline software procurement across federal agencies to reduce unnecessary costs. The House previously passed the legislation in December 2024.
The late Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly originally filed the bill in March. Reps. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, Pat Fallon, R-Texas, April McClain Delaney, D-Md., and Nancy Mace, R-S.C., reintroduced the bill in September.
“With House passage of the nonpartisan SAMOSA Act, we’re one step closer to improving oversight of software procurement, eliminating waste and duplicative purchases, and ensuring the federal government serves as a faithful steward of taxpayer dollars,” Mace said in a statement.
The SAMOSA Act would require federal agencies to create a comprehensive software inventory and undergo an independent assessment of software license management practices and contracts.
Agency chief information officers (CIOs) would be required to develop a plan to adopt enterprise licensing agreements, with the goal of improving negotiating power with software vendors and reducing costs.
The bill also tasks the Office of Management and Budget with publishing a strategy for software modernization, based on the agency assessments and CIOs’ plans. Federal agencies would also be required to include their plans and performance assessments in their annual budget submissions.
Industry groups, including the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing and NetChoice, applauded the House passage of the SAMOSA Act.
“[The House’s] vote is a major step toward greater transparency and oversight in federal spending and software management. We thank Representatives Brown, Fallon, Delaney, and Mace for championing the SAMOSA Act – critical to strengthening security, cutting waste, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely,” said Ryan Triplette, the executive director of the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing.
“This bill will finally bring transparency to government contracting, forcing vendors to compete on merit and value rather than relying on restrictive licensing schemes,” said Amy Bos, the vice president of government affairs at NetChoice.
Evan Swarztrauber, a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, also commended the lawmakers for their leadership on the SAMOSA Act and for securing its passage by the full House.
“If signed into law, this legislation could save billions of taxpayer dollars, improve the delivery of vital government services such as veterans’ benefits, and strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity,” Swarztrauber said. “I urge the Senate to take up the bill expeditiously so the American people can begin benefiting from its provisions as quickly as possible.”
Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, James Lankford, R-Okla., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., reintroduced the bill’s Senate companion on June 4.
However, the bill is still awaiting consideration from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.