S. 3926 would increase the amount of information that the Department of the Treasury must publish each year concerning federal spending. The bill also would direct the department and the Office of Management and Budget to establish standards to ensure that federal agencies report complete, accurate financial data, and it would require agencies’ inspectors general to assess and report to the Congress biennially on the quality of reported financial data. Enacting S. 3926 could affect direct spending by some agencies that are allowed to use fees, receipts from the sale of goods, and other collections to cover operating costs. CBO estimates that any net changes in direct spending by those agencies would be negligible because most of them can adjust amounts collected to reflect changes in operating costs. CBO estimates that enacting S. 3926 would have no effect on revenues. CBO has not estimated the bill’s effects on spending subject to appropriation. The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
