The House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the Office of Management and Budget to ensure there is a free searchable website providing access to federal financial assistance awards. This searchable database will not cover disclosure of federal contracts, however. H.R. 5060, co-sponsored by Reps. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Tom Davis (R-VA), passed the House on a voice vote on June 21. Click here to read more.

Earlier this year we blogged (here and here) about a new program authorized by Congress to allow the IRS to outsource its tax collection to private collection agencies. This program has caught the wary eye of a few folks in Congress, most of all Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ). Rothman recently successfully lead the charge against this policy, blocking the IRS from spending money on the program in the FY 2007 Treasury-Transportation bill recently approved by the House. Now all that is necessary to stop the program is successful passage in the final appropriations bill later this year.

Does welfare reform work? Do food stamps really feed the needy? Are government assistance programs really helping those in need? How effective is our social safety net? Congress certainly doesn’t want to know. Right now, the House Appropriations Committee is considering a Bush recommendation to terminate a program designed to answer these questions.