Duplication Scoring Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 2733
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-02T22:48:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Duplication Scoring Act of 2025 aims to improve federal government efficiency by requiring the Government Accountability Office (GAO)—an independent agency that audits and evaluates government operations—to review certain congressional bills for potential duplication or overlap with existing federal programs, offices, or initiatives. This helps prevent redundant government activities that could waste resources.
Key Provisions
- Scope of Review: Applies to "covered bills or joint resolutions," which are public bills reported (formally advanced) by any congressional committee, including appropriations and budget committees.
- GAO's Role: The Comptroller General (head of GAO) must assess, to the extent feasible, whether a covered bill creates a "new duplicative or overlapping feature"—a new program, office, or initiative that duplicates or overlaps with previously identified issues in GAO's annual "duplication and overlap reports" (reports highlighting federal redundancies under existing law).
- If a risk is found, GAO identifies: (1) the name of the new feature, (2) the specific section of the bill creating it, and (3) the relevant prior GAO report.
- GAO submits this information to the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the committee that reported the bill, and publishes it on the GAO website.
- CBO's Integration: The CBO Director may include GAO's findings as a supplement to the CBO's standard cost estimate for the bill (required under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974). If GAO's input arrives late, CBO can add it afterward as a supplemental report to relevant committees.
- Definitions: Key terms include "existing duplicative or overlapping feature" (prior redundancies noted in GAO reports) and references to GAO's annual reports mandated by a 2010 debt limit resolution.
- Effective Date: Takes effect on the earlier of (1) 60 days after the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) updates its public website on federal programs (under existing law), or (2) the start of a new Congress at least one year after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 719 of Title 31, United States Code (which outlines GAO's duties in supporting Congress), by adding a new subsection (i) that mandates these duplication assessments for reported bills.
- Builds on existing GAO annual reports on federal duplication (required since 2010) by extending analysis to individual bills during the legislative process, rather than just retrospective reviews.
- Integrates GAO findings into the CBO's budgeting process, which previously focused mainly on costs without a formal duplication check.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Could reduce the creation of overlapping programs, leading to streamlined operations and potential cost savings across federal entities by avoiding redundant efforts.
- On Citizens: May result in more efficient use of taxpayer dollars, as it promotes eliminating waste in government spending without cutting essential services.
- On Congress: Provides lawmakers with timely, transparent information to make informed decisions, potentially slowing or altering bills that introduce unnecessary duplication.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could indirectly affect U.S. aid or international programs if overlaps are identified in those areas.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Congressional Committees: Directly receive GAO assessments and must consider them when advancing bills, affecting how they draft and report legislation.
- GAO and CBO: Gain new responsibilities—GAO for analysis and reporting, CBO for incorporating findings—potentially increasing their workload but enhancing their advisory roles.
- OMB: Influences the effective date through website updates, and its inventory of federal programs serves as a reference for identifying overlaps.
- Federal Agencies and Programs: Existing offices and initiatives could face scrutiny if new bills propose similar functions, leading to consolidations or justifications for continuation.
- Bipartisan Sponsors: Introduced by Senators Rand Paul (R) and Maggie Hassan (D), highlighting cross-party interest in government efficiency.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens congressional oversight tools without altering core budgeting laws; relies on existing GAO and CBO authorities, ensuring compliance with separation of powers by keeping reviews advisory rather than mandatory vetoes.
- Constitutional: No major issues, as it enhances Congress's Article I powers to control spending and organization of the executive branch through informed legislation.
- Political: Promotes fiscal responsibility and anti-waste measures, appealing to advocates of smaller government; could spark debates on implementation feasibility (e.g., GAO's resource limits) but is procedurally neutral, applying to all committees equally. As a bipartisan bill referred to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, it signals potential for broad support in streamlining federal operations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2025-09-08: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Duplication Scoring Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-08 — PDF (5 pages)