OMB required to comply with law, show how it spends taxpayer dollars
- July 21, 2025
On July 21st, Protect Democracy secured summary judgment granting a permanent injunction in our case against the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This victory paves the way for the public to see the apportionment information OMB has been illegally hiding since March, when they took their website down.
Apportionments show how OMB is implementing federal spending laws — or potentially impounding funds in violation of the law. This case is about more than government transparency—it’s also about preserving the checks and balances that are meant to serve as guardrails against abuses of power.
On April 14, we filed suit against OMB for violating a law Congress passed on a bipartisan basis in 2022 requiring OMB to disclose apportionment information on a public website. On March 24, the OMB website went dark. A few days later, OMB Director Russell Vought made clear that OMB will no longer comply with the law.
Today’s decision makes clear that the executive branch cannot simply ignore appropriations laws they disagree with on policy grounds, no matter what President Trump or OMB Director Russell Vought thinks. Congress passed a law making sure the American public could see how their taxpayer dollars are being spent, and we will continue to hold the administration accountable for making good on that promise.
Cerin Lindgrensavage, Counsel for Protect Democracy
For more information vist: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/restoring-spending-transparency/
Memorandum Opinion Ordering Summary Judgement, Granting a Permanent Injunction July 21, 2025 Memorandum Opinion Ordering Summary Judgement, Granting a Permanent Injunction
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