To: Members of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
From: National Taxpayers Union
Date: May 23, 2022
Subject: The Committee’s May 25 Markup
1. Introduction and Key Taxpayer Considerations
National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization. At NTU, we understand that bipartisan, effective Congressional oversight is necessary to protect taxpayers from wasteful spending habits in the executive branch. When the federal government works more efficiently and effectively, taxpayers receive a higher return on government services for their tax dollars.
For these reasons and more, NTU has long had a stake in the important work of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. We are issuing the following recommendations to Committee members regarding legislation you will consider at your May 25 markup.
2. Legislative Recommendations
NTU is recommending that Committee members SUPPORT S. 4128, the Improving Government for America's Taxpayers Act. This bipartisan bill, led by Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-OH) and co-sponsored by Chair Gary Peters (D-MI), would streamline reporting on Government Accountability Office (GAO) priority recommendations for federal agencies. GAO is the legislative branch’s watchdog, and GAO experts consistently make recommendations to executive branch agencies that could improve government services or even save taxpayers money. To the extent Congress can increase the visibility and salience of these recommendations, lawmakers would increase the chance that some of these reforms are actually enacted by the legislative branch or implemented at the agency level.
3. Contact Information
Should you have any questions about the recommendations in this memo, please do not hesitate to reach out to NTU Director of Federal Policy Andrew Lautz at alautz@ntu.org.