WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to recent efforts by the Trump Administration to prevent Members of Congress from entering government buildings, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) is introducing legislation that would open the doors.
The All Access Act of 2025 would guarantee Members of Congress cannot be denied access to federal buildings. The Trump Administration has recently locked Members out of the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Education. This legislation would ensure Members of Congress can appropriately conduct oversight over the Executive Branch.
“Last week, when I visited the Department of Education with congressional Democrats the doors were locked as we approached the building and agents from the Department of Homeland Security were in place to prevent Members from accessing the building. This is a direct assault on the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branch,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “President Trump promised to open the doors of the federal government to the people and operate with transparency, yet his administration is keeping Congress and the American people from his work to dismantle federal agencies without the approval of Congress.”
Under the All Access Act, Members of Congress would be allowed access to federal government buildings during regular business hours upon presentation of valid member identification. If members would like to enter the building during non-regular business hours, at least 12 hour advance notification to the agency would be required.
Congresswoman Hayes is introducing the All Access Act following a week where Democratic Members of Congress were denied entry to several public, federal buildings.
- On Monday, February 3, 2025, Members were denied entry to USAID headquarters as the Administration moved to unlawfully defund the agency and place staff on administrative leave.
- On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Members were prevented from entering the U.S. Treasury Department building as they sought answers to why President Trump was allowing Elon Musk and his associates to access the federal payment system.
- On Thursday, February 6, 2025, Members were denied access to EPA headquarters as the President and Administrator Zeldin continue to unlawfully restrict Congressionally approved funding for ongoing EPA projects, including brownfield remediation.
- And on Friday, February 7, 2025, Congresswoman Hayes and other Members were locked out of the Department of Education building as they attempted to meet with the Acting Secretary of Education to discuss whether she would obey illegal orders to defund or dismantle the Department.
The All Access Act of 2025 has been cosponsored by Representatives Alma Adams (NC-12), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Susie Lee (NV-03), Summer Lee (PA-12), Ted W. Lieu (CA-36), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Darren Soto (FL-09), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Sylvester Turner (TX-18), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).