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Government contracts and other federal spending would be exposed to public scrutiny under a bill approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Thursday.
Sponsor Tom Coburn, R-Okla., introduced the legislation (S 2590) in the hope that Congress, federal agencies and those who receive federal funds will think twice about spending that is likely to look frivolous or wasteful to taxpayers.
The measure, approved by voice vote, would require the government to create a searchable database of every recipient of federal grants, contracts or loans. The Web site, which would have to be accessible for free, would be required to begin operations by Jan. 1, 2008, and the database would have to include spending records from fiscal 2007 forward.
“That transparency will lead to greater accountability,” said panel Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Collins and others noted that if the database had been in place a year ago, the massive alleged contracting abuses after Hurricane Katrina might never have happened.
“When I tell people about this bill, the response I usually get is, ‘You mean, that doesn’t already exist?’ ” Coburn said. “The idea is just so common sense that it is hard for anyone to oppose — that is, unless they’ve got something to hide.”
Indeed, the measure has 17 cosponsors in the Senate so far, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
The panel adopted a substitute amendment that would establish a two-year pilot program beginning in January 2007 to identify the most efficient way to keep tabs on subcontracts and subgrants. After the two-year period, subcontracts and subgrants would be included in the broader database.
On June 21, the House passed a version of the measure (HR 5060) by voice vote. Sponsored by Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Government Reform Chairman Thomas M. Davis III, R-Va., the bill would require creation of a federal database that would focus on grants, not contracts.
Watchdog groups have criticized the narrow focus of the House bill.
The government spends about $1 trillion annually on grants, procurement contracts, loans, insurance and other direct payments. In fiscal 2004 — the latest figures available — the total included $460 billion in grants, $340 billion in contracts, $229 billion in guaranteed or insured loans and $30 billion in direct loans.
Even if the database covers contracts, it will not include all information on defense contracts. In fiscal 2004, defense contracts accounted for almost 70 percent of all federal contract spending, according to the most recent report of the Federal Procurement Data System.
The Senate bill would not require any classified information to be revealed, so only unclassified information about defense contracts would be included in the database.
Sponsor Tom Coburn, R-Okla., introduced the legislation (S 2590) in the hope that Congress, federal agencies and those who receive federal funds will think twice about spending that is likely to look frivolous or wasteful to taxpayers.
The measure, approved by voice vote, would require the government to create a searchable database of every recipient of federal grants, contracts or loans. The Web site, which would have to be accessible for free, would be required to begin operations by Jan. 1, 2008, and the database would have to include spending records from fiscal 2007 forward.
“That transparency will lead to greater accountability,” said panel Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Collins and others noted that if the database had been in place a year ago, the massive alleged contracting abuses after Hurricane Katrina might never have happened.
“When I tell people about this bill, the response I usually get is, ‘You mean, that doesn’t already exist?’ ” Coburn said. “The idea is just so common sense that it is hard for anyone to oppose — that is, unless they’ve got something to hide.”
Indeed, the measure has 17 cosponsors in the Senate so far, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
The panel adopted a substitute amendment that would establish a two-year pilot program beginning in January 2007 to identify the most efficient way to keep tabs on subcontracts and subgrants. After the two-year period, subcontracts and subgrants would be included in the broader database.
On June 21, the House passed a version of the measure (HR 5060) by voice vote. Sponsored by Majority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Government Reform Chairman Thomas M. Davis III, R-Va., the bill would require creation of a federal database that would focus on grants, not contracts.
Watchdog groups have criticized the narrow focus of the House bill.
The government spends about $1 trillion annually on grants, procurement contracts, loans, insurance and other direct payments. In fiscal 2004 — the latest figures available — the total included $460 billion in grants, $340 billion in contracts, $229 billion in guaranteed or insured loans and $30 billion in direct loans.
Even if the database covers contracts, it will not include all information on defense contracts. In fiscal 2004, defense contracts accounted for almost 70 percent of all federal contract spending, according to the most recent report of the Federal Procurement Data System.
The Senate bill would not require any classified information to be revealed, so only unclassified information about defense contracts would be included in the database.
