The House Committee on Oversight and Reform approved two bipartisan bills sponsored by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst on Mar. 18, moving them forward in the legislative process during Sunshine Week. The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act and the Stop Secret Spending Act are intended to increase transparency and accountability in federal government spending.
The passage of these bills from committee is significant because they aim to address concerns about how taxpayer money is used and reported by federal agencies. Supporters say that making government spending more visible will help ensure responsible use of public funds.
“Sunshine is the best disinfectant, and it is only fitting my pair of bills passed out of the House Oversight Committee during Sunshine Week,” Ernst said. “As I shine more light on wasteful Washington spending, I’m excited to continuing shepherding these bills to become law, so that our hardworking taxpayers know exactly where their money is going and that it’s not being wasted on pointless projects.”
House Committee Chairman James Comer said, “It’s simple: Americans deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are spent. That’s why I’m proud to support Senator Ernst’s legislation this week to increase transparency and ensure the federal government uses those dollars efficiently, effectively, and with full accountability.”
Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks led the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act in the House. She said, “Washington bureaucrats have wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on misguided programs while hardworking Americans foot the bill. I’m proud to work with Senator Ernst to expose these billion-dollar boondoggles and bring transparency and accountability back to Washington. I will always fight to protect taxpayers and ensure their hard-earned dollars are spent responsibly.”
The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act requires any taxpayer-funded project exceeding $1 billion over budget or delayed by more than five years to be made public for scrutiny. The Stop Secret Spending Act would require all federal spending—including amounts currently hidden under “Other Transactions Agreements”—to be disclosed publicly; such agreements included more than $18 billion in 2025 alone.
According to the official website, Ernst’s office handles constituent services such as casework and facilitating interactions with federal agencies, serves all of Iowa, offers assistance with casework and responses to public inquiries, operates within the legislative branch as a senator from Iowa, leads several Senate committees including Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Armed Services, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees, and was elected in 2014 as both Iowa’s first female senator and first female combat veteran in the U.S. Senate.
Both bills now move forward for consideration by the full House.
