Shlok Vaidya

Coburn On Tax Dollars

“Today, along with Senators Barack Obama, Thomas Carper and John McCain, I introduced legislation to create an online public database that itemizes federal funding.

This bill would require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish and maintain a single public website that lists all entities receiving federal funds, including the name of each entity, the amount of federal funds the entity has received annually by program, and the location of the entity. All federal assistance must be posted within 30 days of such funding being awarded to an organization.

This would be an important tool to make federal funding more accountable and transparent. It would also help to reduce fraud, abuse and misallocation of federal funds by requiring greater accounting of federal expenditures. According to OMB, federal agencies reported $37.3 billion in improper payments for fiscal year 2005 alone. Better tracking of federal funds would ensure that agencies and taxpayers know where resources are being spent and likely reduce the number of improper payments by federal agencies.”

A step in the right direction – this is an attempt to service the government’s customers – if it comes to pass.

-Shlok
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08. April 2006 by Shlok Vaidya
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