Making ‘Em Squeal: Ernst Ushers Two Government Transparency Measures Into Law
The bills will give taxpayers a clearer picture on where and how their dollars are being spent
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), one of the foremost lawmakers in rooting out Washington’s wasteful spending and “
Making ‘em Squeal,” had two key government transparency measures signed into law as part of the annual defense bill, both of which will give taxpayers a clearer picture on where and how their dollars are being spent.
After Ernst
called out the Democratic Leader in the Senate last month for continuously blocking the
Taxpayer Right to Know Act for years, Ernst worked to get the bipartisan legislation included in the defense bill and signed into law. The bill, which was introduced by Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), will require a public report card listing every federal program, along with regular updates on the costs and performance outcomes of each.
Ernst also successfully pushed to include aspects of her
COST Act
– or the
Cost Openness and Spending Transparency Act – which requires research and development projects supported by the Department of Defense (DOD) to include a price tag that is easily available for taxpayers.
“Only in Washington will you find folks who believe less transparency is better, and who will fight hard to keep it that way. We Iowans know better,”
said Senator Ernst. “Hardworking Iowans sent me to Congress to hold Washington accountable and to crack down on the federal government’s out of control spending. That’s why I’m proud to push back against the DC politicians who have spent years blocking government transparency and to get these two key measures signed into law so that taxpayers can know exactly where and how their dollars are being spent.”
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