S.872 - Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
The Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 aims to amend the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. The goal is to ensure that other transaction agreements (OTAs) are reported to USAspending.gov. This seeks to increase transparency in government spending by requiring the reporting of OTAs, which are often used for research and development and can sometimes lack the same level of public scrutiny as traditional contracts.
Expected Effects
The act will likely lead to increased transparency in government spending, particularly regarding OTAs. This will require federal agencies to report data on these agreements to USAspending.gov. The act also mandates annual reports on unreported federal spending and requires the development of data standards for OTAs.
Potential Benefits
- Increased transparency in government spending, allowing the public to see how taxpayer money is being used for OTAs.
- Improved accountability of federal agencies regarding their use of OTAs.
- Enhanced data quality and standardization for OTAs, making it easier to analyze and compare spending across different agencies.
- Better oversight by Congress and the public due to the mandated annual reports on unreported funding.
- Potential for more informed decision-making by policymakers and the public regarding government spending priorities.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential increased administrative burden on federal agencies to comply with the new reporting requirements.
- Possible delays in the implementation of OTAs due to the added reporting requirements.
- Risk that increased transparency could reveal sensitive information related to national security or classified projects, although the bill attempts to account for this.
- The cost of implementing the new reporting systems and processes.
- Potential for the reported data to be misinterpreted or misused if not presented in a clear and accessible manner.
Constitutional Alignment
The act aligns with the principle of government transparency and accountability, which are implicit in the Constitution's structure. While the Constitution does not explicitly mention transparency, the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech and the press supports the idea that the public should have access to information about government activities. Article I, Section 9, Clause 7, which requires a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money, further supports the notion of fiscal transparency.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).