NASBO joined other state and local organizations to express concerns regarding the Digital Accountability and Transparency (DATA) Act. The legislation (HR 2146) creates a new independent, oversight commission to track federal spending on grants, contracts, loans and other assistance. The bill expands the reporting requirements used to track Recovery Act spending to all federal grants and agencies, not just programs that were part of the Recovery Act.
In a letter addressed to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA), seven state and local groups including NASBO expressed concerns about the magnitude of reporting and the proposed timelines for implementation. Additionally, the state and local groups discussed their disappointment in the lack of funding for state and local governments to carry out the required reporting and necessary oversight.
Read the letter.