Accountability in Government Efficiency Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1545
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-24: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Last Updated
- 2025-07-17T19:30:25Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Accountability in Government Efficiency Act (H.R. 1545) aims to provide congressional oversight of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity created by Executive Order 14158 to improve government operations. It requires an independent report assessing DOGE's actions and their broader effects, ensuring accountability for changes to federal workforce and programs.
Key Provisions
- Report Requirement: The Comptroller General of the United States (head of the non-partisan Government Accountability Office, or GAO, which conducts audits and evaluations of government activities) must prepare and submit a report to Congress on DOGE's actions.
- Report Contents:
- An analysis of how DOGE's actions—such as reducing the number of civil service employees (career federal workers protected by law), terminating federal programs, or pausing and restarting them—affect the U.S.'s long-term financial stability, public health, and safety.
- An evaluation of DOGE's compliance with key laws, including:
- The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a), which protects individuals' personal information held by federal agencies from unauthorized disclosure.
- Chapter 131 of Title 5, U.S. Code, which covers ethics rules for government employees, such as financial disclosures and conflict-of-interest standards.
- Deadline: The report must be submitted to Congress no later than December 31, 2025.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new, one-time reporting mandate specifically targeting DOGE, which did not exist in prior law. It does not amend existing statutes but builds on the GAO's established authority to investigate and report on executive branch activities. No direct alterations to laws like the Privacy Act or ethics provisions are made; instead, it enforces their application through required analysis.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases scrutiny of DOGE's efficiency initiatives, potentially slowing or altering workforce reductions and program changes by highlighting risks to finances, health, and safety.
- On Citizens: Could protect public interests by identifying unintended consequences of program terminations or pauses, such as disruptions to services affecting health or safety; may also safeguard personal data privacy during efficiency efforts.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though effects on U.S. financial stability or program operations (e.g., if involving foreign aid or global health initiatives) could indirectly influence international perceptions of U.S. governance reliability.
- Overall, promotes transparency but may add administrative burden to the GAO without creating new enforcement mechanisms.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Congress: Gains detailed insights for potential future legislation or oversight hearings on DOGE.
- Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): Subject to independent review, which could influence its operations and decision-making.
- Federal Employees and Agencies: Civil service workers and affected programs face indirect protection through analysis of reduction impacts; agencies may need to ensure compliance with privacy and ethics laws.
- The Public: Taxpayers and beneficiaries of federal programs, particularly in areas of health and safety, benefit from evaluations of long-term effects.
- Government Accountability Office (GAO): Tasked with conducting the analysis, drawing on its auditing expertise.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces existing statutory requirements (e.g., Privacy Act compliance) by mandating their review in the context of a new executive entity, potentially setting a precedent for future oversight of efficiency-driven reforms without creating new penalties.
- Constitutional: Aligns with separation of powers by enabling Congress (legislative branch) to check executive actions via the independent GAO, upholding accountability without infringing on presidential authority to issue executive orders.
- Political: Introduced by a bipartisan group of House members, it signals congressional intent to monitor a high-profile executive initiative (DOGE, often associated with cost-cutting goals), which could fuel debates on government reform, workforce protections, and fiscal responsibility; may encourage similar reporting requirements for other administrative changes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10]
Cosponsors (19)
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-24: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- 2025-02-24: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-24: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Accountability in Government Efficiency Act — issued 2025-02-24 — PDF (2 pages)