Rider

A rider is a provision added to a bill that is not closely related to the bill’s main subject. Riders can appear in many kinds of legislation, including appropriations bills. Chamber rules may restrict some riders, but those restrictions can be waived or otherwise addressed through legislative procedure.

Example: Section 550 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007, added chemical-facility security requirements to an appropriations law. The Congressional Research Service identifies it as a sample appropriations rider.

Common misconception: Every additional provision in a bill is a rider. A provision is commonly called a rider when it is extraneous or not closely related to the measure’s main subject, not simply because a bill contains several sections.

Sources: https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/RL/PDF/RL30240/RL30240.31.pdf; https://www.congress.gov/118/plaws/publ50/PLAW-118publ50.pdf