HR 4421119th CongressIn Committee

Better Straws Act

Introduced: Jul 15, 2025

Environment & Climate

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill would turn into law a specific executive directive, Executive Order 14208, which aims to end the government’s procurement of paper straws and stop forcing people to use paper straws in federal facilities. Titled the Better Straws Act, it would give the referenced executive order the force and effect of federal law, meaning the policy would be binding on federal agencies and the procurement process without needing further statutory steps. In short, the bill codifies a policy to avoid paper straws in federal operations and requires agencies to implement it as law.

Key Points

1Short title: The bill is called the Better Straws Act.
2Codification of EO 14208: The executive order, which addresses ending procurement and forced use of paper straws, would be made into statutory law.
3Legal effect: Once codified, the policy would have the force of law, not just an executive directive.
4Scope: Applies to federal procurement processes and operations within federal agencies; would affect contracts and vendor supplies related to straws.
5Legislative status: Introduced by Ms. Tenney on July 15, 2025; referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The text contains only codification, with no additional detailed provisions or funding.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal agencies and their procurement offices (including contractors and vendors that supply straws to federal facilities).Secondary group/area affected- Federal employees, and individuals visiting or using services in federal facilities (including any requirements or policies around straw usage).Additional impacts- Potential operational and contractual changes for government procurement, including renegotiation or termination of existing contracts involving paper straws.- Possible considerations for individuals who rely on straws for medical or accessibility reasons, and the need for clear exceptions or accommodations (not specified in the bill, but an area for implementation discussion).- Limited or no funding specified; compliance costs would fall on agencies and vendors.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 16, 2025