Senators Lankford, Hassan Bipartisan Bill to Increase Transparency, Address Waste Passes House

WASHINGTON, DC  – This week, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the bipartisan Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act, introduced by Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), that would require the federal government to publicize the details, costs, and performance metrics of government programs. This bipartisan legislation, which would increase transparency and curb wasteful spending, passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee last year.

“I applaud the action by the House of Representatives to pass the Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act by voice vote,” said Lankford. “This important bill of mine ensures that we have an inventory of federal programs that can be used for oversight of federal spending to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. Americans deserve greater transparency and accountability of their hard earned taxpayer dollars. I look forward to the Senate passing this bill in the days ahead.”  

“By unanimously passing the bipartisan Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act, my colleagues in the House took an important step towards increasing transparency for how Americans’ tax dollars are spent,” Hassan said. “I will continue working with Senator Lankford to pass this fiscally responsible bill in the Senate and help cut wasteful government spending.”

The bipartisan Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act directs the Office of Management and Budget to compile details on government programs and the cost to run them, and publish the information online to help the government and taxpayer keep better track of government spending.

Lankford has worked on legislation to ensure completion of a federal program inventory since 2011, his first year in Congress. The Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act, a legislative priority of Lankford’s, would ensure completion of a functional federal program inventory that can be used as a tool for oversight of federal spending, highlight good stewardship of tax dollars, and provide greater transparency of duplication, inefficiency, and waste.

Lankford is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management within the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The management of federal agencies and their workforce falls under Lankford’s Subcommittee jurisdiction.

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