Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts and Jacky Rosen have introduced the Improper Payments Transparency Act, aiming to enhance transparency regarding improper federal payments. The bill seeks to mandate that the President's annual budget request includes detailed data on improper payments made by federal agencies.

Senator Ricketts emphasized the importance of transparency in government spending, stating, "When federal agencies waste money, it means less money for essential services, national defense, or deficit reduction." He added that the bipartisan bill would "highlight where money is being misspent so we can combat waste and save taxpayer dollars."

Senator Rosen also voiced her support for the legislation: "We owe it to the hardworking people of Nevada to make sure that the federal government is using their tax dollars efficiently and responsibly." She continued, "Our bipartisan legislation will help to increase transparency and cut down on wasteful government spending. I’ll keep working to clean up Washington and look after American taxpayers’ hard-earned money."

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has estimated $2.8 trillion in improper payments by the federal government since 2003. For Fiscal Year 2023 alone, GAO reported $236 billion in improper payments, with $161.6 billion estimated for Fiscal Year 2024. However, due to a lack of comprehensive reporting requirements, these figures might underestimate the actual costs.

The Improper Payments Transparency Act aims to address these issues by requiring clear data on improper payments in future presidential budget requests.

Fox News first covered this development. Further details about the bill are available through its text.

The National Taxpayers Union has recognized this legislation as one of its top bipartisan bills for taxpayers on their 2024 “No Brainers” List.