[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 118 (Monday, July 20, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H4657-H4659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STOP SECRET SPENDING ACT OF 2025
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2069) to amend the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 to ensure that other transaction agreements
are reported to USAspending.gov, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2069
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Secret Spending Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. OTHER TRANSACTION AGREEMENT REPORTING.
(a) Other Transaction Agreements.--Section 2(a) of the
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
(31 U.S.C. 6101 note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4)(A)--
(A) in clause (ii), by adding ``and'' and the end; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) includes other transaction agreements;''; and
(2) in paragraph (7)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``(2)(A)(i)'' and
inserting ``(4)(A)(i)''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``(2)(A)(ii)'' and
inserting ``(4)(A)(ii)''.
(b) Data Standards.--Section 4 of the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101
note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Other Transaction Agreement Data.--Not later than 3
years after the date of enactment of the Stop Secret Spending
Act of 2025, the Secretary shall ensure that, with respect to
the website established under section 2, or any successor
website--
``(1) data relating to other transaction agreements is
automatically transmitted to the website, and
``(2) a centralized view of the data described in paragraph
(1) is available on the website.''.
(c) Annual Report on Unreported Funding.--Section 2 of the
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
(31 U.S.C. 6101 note) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(h) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of the Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025, and
annually thereafter, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Director, shall post to the website established under this
section a report that includes--
``(1) the total amount of Federal spending on Federal
awards for which data has not been posted to the website; and
``(2) the reason data on the Federal spending described in
paragraph (1) has not been posted to the website, including
whether the Federal spending was--
``(A) national security-related or classified;
``(B) a grant or contract awarded or entered into by a
legislative or judicial branch agency; or
``(C) a subaward below a primary subaward.''.
(d) Implementation Plan.--
(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
(A) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget.
(B) Relevant agency.--The term ``relevant agency'' means a
Federal agency (as defined in section 2(a) of the Federal
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31
U.S.C. 6101 note)) that has the authority to enter into an
other transaction agreement, as determined by the Director.
(C) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Treasury.
(D) Usaspending.gov.--The term ``USAspending.gov'' means
the website established under section 2 of the Federal
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31
U.S.C. 6101 note).
(2) Initial compilation.--If the Secretary has not yet
complied with subsection (e) of section 4 of the Federal
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31
U.S.C. 6101 note), as added by this section, by the date that
is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, not later
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary, in coordination with the Director and the heads of
relevant agencies, shall publish on USAspending.gov a report
that lists and includes a detailed description of all other
transaction agreements entered into by the relevant agencies
for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year during which
the report is published.
(3) Plan.--If the Secretary has not yet complied with
subsection (e) of section 4 of the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101
note), as added by this section, by the date that is 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, not later than 2
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary,
in consultation with the Director and the heads of relevant
agencies, shall submit to Congress a plan that includes--
(A) the status of including data relating to other
transaction agreements on USAspending.gov; and
[[Page H4658]]
(B) actions underway and planned to ensure that the data
described in subparagraph (A) is fully incorporated into
USAspending.gov by the date that is 3 years after the date of
enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. OTHER AMENDMENTS.
(a) Inspector General Reports.--Section 6(a) of the Federal
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31
U.S.C. 6101 note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``each Federal agency'' and inserting ``each agency described
in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 901(b) of title 31,
United States Code'';
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``Federal agency'' and
inserting ``agency''; and
(C) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``Federal agency'' and
inserting ``agency''; and
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) Deadlines.--The inspector general of each agency
described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 901(b) of
title 31, United States Code, shall submit to Congress and
make publicly available a report described in paragraph
(1)(B)--
``(A) not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
the Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025; and
``(B) not less than frequently than once every 2 years
after the date described in subparagraph (A) until the date
that is 10 years after the date of enactment of the Stop
Secret Spending Act of 2025 on the date of submission of the
report required under section 3521(f) or 9105(a)(3) of title
31, United States Code, for the applicable fiscal year.''.
(b) Full Disclosure of Federal Funds.--
(1) In general.--Section 3 of the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101
note) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)--
(i) paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking ``a Federal agency or component of a Federal
agency'' and inserting ``a Federal agency or a component of a
Federal agency included on the list posted under subsection
(e)(2)''; and
(ii) in paragraph (2)(B), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``to be posted'' and inserting ``to be
posted by a Federal agency or a component of a Federal agency
included on the list posted under subsection (e)(2)''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Quality of Information.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary and the Director, in
consultation with the heads of Federal agencies, shall
establish requirements to ensure that the information to be
posted under subsection (b) that is posted by a Federal
agency or component of a Federal agency is complete and
accurate.
``(2) Federal agency responsibility.--The head of each
Federal agency or component of a Federal agency posting data
under subsection (b) shall ensure that the data is complete
and accurate.
``(3) Authority to verify accuracy.--The Secretary and the
Director may verify that the data posted under subsection (b)
by a Federal agency or component of a Federal agency are
complete, accurate, and consistent.
``(d) Display Standards.--The Secretary, in consultation
with the Director, shall ensure that the heads of Federal
agencies that post information under subsection (b) comply
with display standards established by the Secretary.
``(e) Agency Reporting Determination.--Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of the Stop Secret Spending
Act of 2025, and not less frequently than once every 2 years
thereafter, the Secretary, in coordination with the Director,
shall--
``(1) assess and make a determination with respect to which
Federal agencies and components of Federal agencies are
required to post information under subsection (b);
``(2) publish a list of the Federal agencies and components
of Federal agencies determined under paragraph (1) on the
website established under section 2(b)(1); and
``(3) provide to the head and inspector general of each
Federal agency or component of a Federal agency included on
the list published under paragraph (2) written notice of the
inclusion of the Federal agency or component of a Federal
agency on the list.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph
(1)(A) shall take effect on the date on which the Secretary
publishes the first list under section 3(e)(2) of the Federal
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31
U.S.C. 6101 note), as added by paragraph (1).
SEC. 4. GAO REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall make
recommendations for any updates the Comptroller General of
the United States determines advisable to clause 52.204.10 of
the Federal Acquisition Regulation with respect to
incorporating requirements under the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101
note).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Burlison) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I support this bill, H.R. 2069, the Stop Secret
Spending Act of 2025, which requires Federal agencies to report
complete and accurate information to USAspending.gov.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, as later
amended by the DATA Act of 2014, established USAspending.gov, a public
database of all government spending.
It is critical that government spending is transparent to the
American people so that they can be assured that agencies are
appropriately using their hard-earned tax dollars.
Transparency is fundamental in building trust in government.
For 20 years, agencies have been required to be more transparent with
how they are spending taxpayer dollars, but, unfortunately, gaps have
been identified in what gets reported to USAspending.gov by Federal
agencies.
Increasingly, Federal agencies have relied upon spending authorities
known as other transaction agreements, or OTAs. OTAs are not subject to
certain Federal acquisition laws and requirements and, most
importantly, are not required to be reported to USAspending.gov under
current law.
Agencies use different methods to report the billions of dollars in
spending related to OTAs, according to the Government Accountability
Office. This has led to inconsistent reporting and unreliable
information, resulting in a lack of full transparency over how billions
of dollars are spent by Federal agencies.
To be clear, the DATA Act of 2014 intended for all Federal spending
to be captured on USAspending.gov.
The Stop Secret Spending Act corrects this issue by requiring OTA
spending to be reported to USAspending.gov.
The bill also requires agencies to report annually on types of
funding that previously were unreported for a variety of exemptions.
Lastly, it restores the requirement for agency inspectors general to
review the entirety of data submitted to USAspending.gov to ensure that
it is complete and accurate.
H.R. 2069 will provide more transparency to the American people. It
allows taxpayers to hold agencies accountable for how they spend your
money.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this very commonsense
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1650
Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, the American people are working hard to make ends
meet, and so they deserve to know how the Federal Government is
spending their tax dollars. The Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 helps.
It increases transparency on how taxpayer dollars are spent by
requiring Federal agencies to disclose other transaction agreements, or
OTAs.
These contracts have historically been excluded from public
reporting, but they account for nearly $20 billion annually. This is a
commonsense measure to increase transparency in Federal contracting.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Alabama (Mr. Moore).
Mr. MOORE of Alabama. Madam Speaker, the American people work hard
for every dollar they send to Washington, and they deserve to know how
every one of those dollars is spent. That is the simple principle
behind the Stop Secret Spending Act.
Federal agencies have been able to spend billions of taxpayer dollars
through what are known as other transaction agreements, or OTAs,
without fully reporting those expenditures on usaspending.gov.
[[Page H4659]]
These agreements may have legitimate uses, but the American people
should not have to wonder whether Federal spending is being disclosed
or not. When our national debt is approaching $40 trillion,
transparency is not optional. It is a responsibility.
This bill closes a loophole that has allowed significant amounts of
Federal spending to remain outside the public reporting system. It does
not ban OTAs. It does not create unnecessary red tape. It simply
requires the agencies to report these agreements so taxpayers can see
where their money is going.
Every family in Alabama knows where their money is spent. Farmers
know where they money is spent. Small business owners know where their
money is spent. The Federal Government should be held to that same
standard.
Sunlight is one of the best safeguards against waste, fraud, and
abuse. Transparency helps Congress do its job. It helps taxpayers hold
Washington accountable, and it helps restore trust in government.
That is common sense. That is accountability. That is exactly what
the American people expect from their government.
Madam Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support the Stop Secret
Spending Act.
Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time
for the purposes of closing.
Madam Speaker, costs are skyrocketing, and people deserve to know how
their money is being spent. I urge my colleagues to support this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BURLISON. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
important governmentwide Federal spending transparency reform bill that
will help the public and Congress understand exactly how Federal
agencies are using the very limited tax dollars that we have, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Burlison) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2069.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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