The ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said the GAO report demonstrates “a complete failure in spending transparency” but that it could wind up helping implement the recently-enacted Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, designed to make federal spending data more standardized and open.
Coburn criticized OMB for failing to break a 10 percent complete accuracy rate for the spending data on USASpending.gov despite loftier goals.
Government-wide financial data standards as called for in the DATA Act should help, but Coburn cited the report in cautioning that merely signing the act into law would not be enough. “Fortunately, this report will help guide us in our efforts as we work with the administration to ensure that the DATA Act is properly implemented,” he said. “I urge the administration to follow through with GAO’s recommendations and I will continue to collaborate with my colleagues in Congress as we work toward a more transparent and responsive government.”
