I recently introduced the Appropriations Transparency Act, legislation that will ensure the annual funding bills that cost taxpayers trillions of dollars are subject to more scrutiny and make sure their effects are known and readily accessible for public review.
Currently, all bills reported out of committee receive a formal Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost estimate (or “score”) that estimates a bill’s likely effect on federal outlays and revenues compared to current law.
However, bills reported out of the Appropriations Committee are exempt from receiving a formal CBO score. In lieu of a score, CBO does provide some analysis and reports on pending appropriations bills to “interested parties.” However, this analysis is not made public and is only available to certain Members of Congress.
The Appropriations Transparency Act will amend the Congressional Budget Act by removing the exception that currently allows appropriations bills to bypass receiving CBO scores.
As your Member of Congress, I believe it is imperative to enhance transparency for the public regarding the utilization of their taxpayer funds.
Amidst rising inflation stemming from ineffective policies by the Biden administration, it is now incumbent upon Congress to take proactive measures and uphold transparency in the management of taxpayer funds.
This bill has received strong support by a coalition including Americans for Prosperity, Citizens Against Government Waste, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Heritage Action, R Street Institute, National Taxpayers Union, Taxpayer Protection Alliance, and Taxpayers for Common Sense. | 
