The Power of the Purse Coalition issued the following statement on the inclusion of the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 6395), which was enacted after both the House and Senate overrode a presidential veto of the bill:

“The Power of the Purse Coalition, an ideologically diverse group of good-government advocates, applauds lawmakers for including the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. This long overdue legislation, which has passed the House with bipartisan support numerous times, will eventually deliver to taxpayers the first-ever comprehensive federal program inventory. Progressives, conservatives, and stakeholders across the political spectrum have long recognized the utility and the necessity of such an inventory for robust oversight and government accountability.

“The Coalition would like to thank Representatives Jim Cooper (D-TN), Tim Walberg (R-MI), and James Comer (R-KY) for their leadership in ensuring this legislation was included in the NDAA. We would also like to thank Members of the House Rules Committee, and House and Senate conferees to the NDAA, for their willingness to include this commendable legislation in the defense policy bill. Lastly, we applaud several current and former Members of Congress for their longtime leadership on the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act, including but not limited to Representative Walberg, Senator James Lankford (R-OK), and the late Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). It is a fitting tribute to Senator Coburn’s legacy that, nearly a decade after he first led the charge on the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act, this bill is finally poised to become law.”

The Power of the Purse Coalition includes Protect Democracy, Demand Progress, FreedomWorks, National Taxpayers Union, the Project on Government Oversight, R Street Institute, and Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Update: On November 29, the Power of the Purse Coalition sent this letter to the Office of Management and Budget about implementation of the measure.