The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted on Tuesday to advance the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act, sending it to the full House for further consideration.
The SAMOSA Act aims to streamline software purchasing across the federal government to reduce unnecessary costs. The House previously passed the legislation in December 2024.
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.
“The text we’re considering today is identical to the text we passed out of the House by voice vote last Congress,” committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said during Tuesday’s markup meeting.
“This bill improves government software purchasing without unduly limiting the procurement options of federal agencies,” Comer said. “It requires each agency to better manage the software and develop a plan for addressing any costly, unnecessary licenses. This will reduce wasteful spending and improve government efficiency.”
Specifically, 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.
The SAMOSA Act’s advancement was applauded by industry groups, including the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing.
“Federal agencies need software contracts that offer clarity, value, and accountability. The SAMOSA Act brings much-needed transparency to federal spending and software management, helping strengthen security, reduce waste, and ensure taxpayer dollars are put to their best use,” Ryan Triplette, executive director of the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing, said in a statement.
“We appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Brown, Fallon, Delaney, and Mace in moving this commonsense reform forward,” Triplette said.
NetChoice also voiced its support for the bill, with NetChoice Vice President of Government Affairs Amy Bos saying, “We commend Reps. Fallon, Delaney and Mace for championing this effort in the House. If implemented, this legislation will increase competition for government software contracts, encouraging companies to enhance their product quality, security and overall value, saving taxpayers money.”