Chairs Yarmuth and DeLauro Achieve Historic Progress for Transparency of Executive Budget Decisions

Jul 13, 2022

Washington, D.C.— With the launch of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) public apportionment database, House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth (D-KY-03) and House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) marked a historic achievement in the Committees’ shared efforts to reassert Congress’ Article I powers of the purse and increase transparency and oversight of Executive Branch spending.

Provisions authored by Chairs Yarmuth and DeLauro and agreed to as part of the FY22 Omnibus in the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Act, 2022 required apportionments — the legally-binding budget decisions made by the Executive Branch — to be made publicly available. Following today’s rollout of the database, the Chairs released a statement:

“For the first time in history, Congress and the American people will be able to access legally-binding budget decisions made by the Executive Branch,” said Chairs Yarmuth and DeLauro. “This database will immediately enhance Congress’ important oversight capabilities and help to deter, prevent, and quickly investigate questionable or unlawful use of taxpayer dollars.

“We are proud of our Committees’ work to enact these reforms, and commend OMB Director Young and the entire OMB staff on their timely implementation of the apportionment database,” the Chairs continued. “We look forward to the improved oversight that this transparency will provide to the Congress, and to building on these legislative successes with additional good government provisions to strengthen Congress’ power of the purse.”

In addition to its support from Congress’ budget leaders, this public database was also recommended by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a way to improve Congressional oversight and facilitate more timely advice and legal decisions by GAO for the Congress. Early access to these documents by the Committees — while the database was being built — has already proven critical in the Congress' timely oversight of the Executive Branch's use of apportionments.

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