Crapo, Others Introduce Legislation to Enhance Federal Agency Accountability

Washington, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senators Rick Scott (R-Florida), Mike Braun (R-Indiana) and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) to introduce the Agency Accountability Act to give Congress the ability to help streamline operations and reduce waste at federal agencies.  Congress currently has no mechanism to regularly review the efficiency of bloated federal agencies, which could ultimately save taxpayer dollars.  The Agency Accountability Act creates a review process to routinely evaluate the efficiency of federal agencies, justify their existence in their current structure and offer recommendations for change in the form of proposed legislation. 

“Congress must exercise its oversight responsibilities to prevent waste, fraud and mismanagement of federal programs,” said Senator Crapo.  “Moreover, as stewards of federal spending, we must account for every dollar and ensure it helps Americans.  The Agency Accountability Act will accomplish both of these important tasks.”  

The Agency Accountability Act would:

• Creates a 13 member bipartisan commission, appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader, with a single appointee by the President, to regularly review agency operations.
• Requires each federal agency, including each advisory committee, to be reviewed by the commission at least once every 6 years.
• The commission must:
  • Review and evaluate the efficiency and public need for each agency using specified criteria;
  • Recommend whether each agency should be abolished or reorganized; and  
  • Report to Congress on introduced legislation that would establish a new agency or a new program, or reorganize a current agency or program.
• Grants legislation proposed by the commission expedited consideration in Congress. 

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