The largest federal bill ever signed into law regarding page count is the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, also known as the 2023 Omnibus Spending Bill, signed by President Joe Biden on December 29, 2022.
Details of the Largest Federal Bill:
Page Count: The bill is approximately 4,155 pages long, making it the longest-length piece of legislation in U.S. history.
Purpose: The bill appropriated $1.7 trillion in federal funding for the fiscal year 2023, covering government operations and avoiding a government shutdown.
Provisions:
Funding for defense, domestic programs, and disaster relief.
Support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Reforms to the Electoral Count Act in response to concerns about the 2020 presidential election certification process.
Health care provisions, environmental measures, and numerous local projects.
Why Was It So Large?
Omnibus Nature: Omnibus bills bundle multiple pieces of legislation and funding measures into a single document. This approach often results in extremely lengthy bills.
Comprehensive Coverage: It covered funding for all federal agencies, programs, and various legislative priorities for the fiscal year.
Complexity of Modern Governance: Modern legislation includes detailed provisions, amendments, and appropriations, reflecting the complexity of government functions.
Historical Context:
Prior to the 2023 Omnibus Bill, other lengthy federal bills included:
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (COVID-19 Relief Package):
Approximately 5,593 pages, though only about 1,000 pages pertained to actual legislation. The rest were supplemental documents.
Affordable Care Act (ACA), 2010:
Known as "Obamacare," it had 2,300 pages, making it one of the largest standalone bills.
