WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) along with Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced the Agency Accountability Act to give Congress the ability to help streamline operations and reduce waste at federal agencies. Congress currently has no mechanism to regularly review the efficiency of bloated federal agencies, which would ultimately save taxpayer dollars. The Agency Accountability Act creates a review process to routinely evaluate the efficiency of federal agencies, justify their existence in their current structure, and offer recommendations for change in the form of proposed legislation.

“It is imperative that the federal government take steps to streamline its operations as our national debt grows to unprecedented levels,” said Senator Tillis. “The Agency Accountability Act does just that and provides an opportunity to examine and possibly restructure federal agencies so American taxpayers receive the highest possible service.”

The Agency Accountability Act:

• Creates a 13 member bipartisan commission, appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader, with a single appointee by the President, to regularly review agency operations.
• Requires each federal agency, including each advisory committee, to be reviewed by the commission at least once every 6 years.
• The commission must:
  • Review and evaluate the efficiency and public need for each agency using specified criteria;
  • Recommend whether each agency should be abolished or reorganized; and  
  • Report to Congress on introduced legislation that would establish a new agency or a new program, or reorganize a current agency or program.
• Grants legislation proposed by the commission expedited consideration in Congress.

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