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Bill114th CongressFiled Jan 28, 2015Government Operations and Politics
H.R. 598

Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act

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What it doesSummary passed house amended (Jan 11, 2016)

Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act

(Sec. 2) This bill requires that the website of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) include a program inventory that identifies each program of the federal government for which there is more than $1 million in annual budget authority. Such inventory shall include: (1) any activity that is commonly referred to as a program by a federal agency, and (2) any activity that is referenced in law as a program after June 30, 2019.

For programs identified in such inventory for which there is more than $1 million and not more than $10 million in annual budget authority (smaller programs), the inventory must include:

  • an identification of the program activities that are aggregated, disaggregated, or consolidated as part of identifying programs;
  • for each such program activity, the amount of funding for the current fiscal year and the previous two fiscal years;
  • an identification of the statutes that authorize the program and any major regulations specific to the program;
  • a description of the individuals served by a program and beneficiaries who received financial assistance under a program for the most recent fiscal year; and
  • links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office released during the preceding five years.

For programs identified in such inventory for which there is more than $10 million in annual budget authority (larger programs), the inventory must include:

  • an identification of the program activities that are aggregated, disaggregated, or consolidated as part of identifying programs;
  • for each program activity, the amount of funding for the current fiscal year and the previous two fiscal years;
  • an estimate of the amount of funding for the program;
  • an identification of the statutes that authorize the program and any major regulations specific to the program;
  • a description and estimate of the number of individuals served by a program and beneficiaries who received financial assistance under a program for the most recent fiscal year;
  • a description of the federal employees who administer the program and other individuals whose salary is paid in full or in part by the federal government through a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or another form of financial award or assistance;
  • links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office released during the preceding five years; and
  • financial and other information for each program activity required to be reported under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

The OMB shall: (1) archive and preserve the information included in the program inventory; and (2) not later than February 1 of each fiscal year, publish on a public website the total amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in grant accounts for which the period of availability to the grantee has expired.

(Sec. 3) The bill requires the OMB, not later than June 30, 2018, to: (1) prescribe guidance to implement this Act, and (2) issue guidance to assist agencies in identifying how the program activities used in budget or appropriations accounts correspond with programs identified in the program inventory required by this Act. The OMB may: (1) issue guidance to agencies to ensure that programs are presented at a similar level of detail across agencies and are not duplicative or overlapping; (2) exempt from the requirements of this Act, based on an analysis of the costs of implementation, agencies that are not required to have a chief financial officer and that have not more than $10 million in budget authority; and (3) extend the Act's implementation deadline by not more than one year.

Implementation of the requirements in this bill must be completed not later than June 30, 2019.

(Sec. 4)  No additional funds may be authorized to carry out the requirements in this bill.

What just happenedJan 19, 2016

Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 350.

Who’s behind it

Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-7](R-MI)Sponsor
10 cosponsors2 D8 R
Read on Congress.gov
10cosponsors1committees19actions2related bills8subjects
  1. Jan 19, 2016Calendars

    Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 350.

  2. Jan 12, 2016IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate.

  3. Jan 11, 2016FloorH37300

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 34). (text: CR H246-247)

  4. Jan 11, 2016FloorH38310

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  5. Jan 11, 2016Floor8000

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 0 (Roll no. 34).(text: CR H246-247)

  6. Jan 11, 2016FloorH30000

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H257-258)

  7. Jan 11, 2016FloorH37220

    At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

  8. Jan 11, 2016FloorH8D000

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 598.

  9. Jan 11, 2016FloorH30000

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H246-247)

  10. Jan 11, 2016FloorH30300

    Mr. Chaffetz moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

  11. Oct 20, 2015CalendarsH12410

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 227.

  12. Oct 20, 2015CommitteeH12200

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 114-298.

    Oversight and Accountability Committee
  13. Oct 20, 2015Committee5000

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. H. Rept. 114-298.

    Oversight and Accountability Committee
  14. Jul 22, 2015Committee

    Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

    Oversight and Accountability Committee
  15. Jul 22, 2015Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Oversight and Accountability Committee
  16. Feb 4, 2015IntroReferralB00100

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H765)

  17. Jan 28, 2015IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

    Oversight and Accountability Committee
  18. Jan 28, 2015IntroReferralIntro-H

    Introduced in House

  19. Jan 28, 2015IntroReferral1000

    Introduced in House

Passed House amendedJan 11, 201636

Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act

(Sec. 2) This bill requires that the website of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) include a program inventory that identifies each program of the federal government for which there is more than $1 million in annual budget authority. Such inventory shall include: (1) any activity that is commonly referred to as a program by a federal agency, and (2) any activity that is referenced in law as a program after June 30, 2019.

For programs identified in such inventory for which there is more than $1 million and not more than $10 million in annual budget authority (smaller programs), the inventory must include:

  • an identification of the program activities that are aggregated, disaggregated, or consolidated as part of identifying programs;
  • for each such program activity, the amount of funding for the current fiscal year and the previous two fiscal years;
  • an identification of the statutes that authorize the program and any major regulations specific to the program;
  • a description of the individuals served by a program and beneficiaries who received financial assistance under a program for the most recent fiscal year; and
  • links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office released during the preceding five years.

For programs identified in such inventory for which there is more than $10 million in annual budget authority (larger programs), the inventory must include:

  • an identification of the program activities that are aggregated, disaggregated, or consolidated as part of identifying programs;
  • for each program activity, the amount of funding for the current fiscal year and the previous two fiscal years;
  • an estimate of the amount of funding for the program;
  • an identification of the statutes that authorize the program and any major regulations specific to the program;
  • a description and estimate of the number of individuals served by a program and beneficiaries who received financial assistance under a program for the most recent fiscal year;
  • a description of the federal employees who administer the program and other individuals whose salary is paid in full or in part by the federal government through a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or another form of financial award or assistance;
  • links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office released during the preceding five years; and
  • financial and other information for each program activity required to be reported under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

The OMB shall: (1) archive and preserve the information included in the program inventory; and (2) not later than February 1 of each fiscal year, publish on a public website the total amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in grant accounts for which the period of availability to the grantee has expired.

(Sec. 3) The bill requires the OMB, not later than June 30, 2018, to: (1) prescribe guidance to implement this Act, and (2) issue guidance to assist agencies in identifying how the program activities used in budget or appropriations accounts correspond with programs identified in the program inventory required by this Act. The OMB may: (1) issue guidance to agencies to ensure that programs are presented at a similar level of detail across agencies and are not duplicative or overlapping; (2) exempt from the requirements of this Act, based on an analysis of the costs of implementation, agencies that are not required to have a chief financial officer and that have not more than $10 million in budget authority; and (3) extend the Act's implementation deadline by not more than one year.

Implementation of the requirements in this bill must be completed not later than June 30, 2019.

(Sec. 4)  No additional funds may be authorized to carry out the requirements in this bill.

Reported to House with amendment(s)Oct 20, 201517

Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act

(Sec. 2) This Act requires that the website of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) include a program inventory that identifies each program of the federal government for which there is more than $1 million in annual budget authority. Such inventory shall include: (1) any activity that is commonly referred to as a program, and (2) any activity that is referenced in law as a program after June 30, 2018. For each program identified in such inventory, the bill requires:

  • an identification of the program activities that are aggregated, disaggregated, or consolidated as part of identifying programs;
  • for each such program activity, the amount of funding for the current fiscal year and the previous two fiscal years;
  • the amount of funding for each program using the pro rata share of the program activities that are aggregated, disaggregated, or consolidated as part of the identifying programs;
  • an identification of the statutes that authorize the program and any major regulations specific to the program;
  • a description and estimate of the number of individuals served by a program and beneficiaries who received financial assistance under a program;
  • a description of the federal employees who administer the program and other individuals whose salary is paid in part or full by the federal government through a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or another form of financial award or assistance;
  • links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office released during the preceding five years; and
  • financial and other information for each program required to be reported under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

The OMB shall: (1) archive and preserve the information included in the program inventory; and (2) not later than February 1 of each fiscal year, publish on a public website the total amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in grant accounts for which the period of availability to the grantee has expired.

(Sec. 3) This section requires the OMB, not later than June 30, 2017, to: (1) prescribe guidance to implement this Act, and (2) issue guidance to assist agencies in identifying how the program activities used in budget or appropriations accounts correspond with programs identified in the program inventory required by this Act. The OMB may: (1) issue guidance to agencies to ensure that programs are presented at a similar level of detail across agencies and are not duplicative or overlapping; (2) exempt from the requirements of this Act, based on an analysis of the costs of implementation, agencies that are not required to have a chief financial officer and that have less than $10 million in budget authority; and (3) extend the Act's implementation deadline by not more than one year.

This Act must be implemented not later than June 30, 2018.

Introduced in HouseJan 28, 2015

Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act

Requires that the website of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) include a program inventory that identifies each program of the federal government, which shall include: (1) any activity that is commonly referred to as a program; (2) any activity specifically created by law, or referenced in law, as a program; (3) each program that has an application process; (4) each program for which financial awards are made on a competitive basis; and (5) any activity identified as a program activity in a budget request.

Requires, for each program identified in such program inventory: (1) an identification of the specific statute that authorizes the program and any program regulations; (2) an estimate of the number of individuals served by any program that provides grants or financial assistance and the beneficiaries who received financial assistance under the program; (3) an estimate of the number of full-time employees who administer the program and the number of such employees whose salary is paid, in full or part, by the federal government; (4) links to any evaluation, assessment, or program performance reviews by the agency, an Inspector General, or the Government Accountability Office, released during the preceding five years; and (5) financial information for each program required to be reported under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

Requires the OMB Director to issue guidance to assist agencies in identifying how the program activities used in budget or appropriations accounts correspond with programs identified in the program inventory required by this Act. Authorizes the Director to issue guidance to agencies on how to more closely align programs in the program inventory for purposes of the President's annual budget submission to Congress.

Requires the OMB Director to: (1) publish on the OMB website the total amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in grant accounts with expired availability, and (2) prescribe regulations or other guidance to implement this Act.

Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act — Informed