Today, the House passed the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, or DATA Act (H.R. 2146), by a voice vote with strong bipartisan support. The bill to strengthen the transparency of federal government spending was sponsored by Oversight and Government Reform committee chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and 13 other representatives.

OMB Watch released a statement applauding the DATA Act's passage. Katherine McFate, President of OMB Watch, praised the bipartisan congressional commitment to new levels of government openness. The Sunlight Foundation and the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) also released statements celebrating the bills's passage.

By requiring public agencies to release more detailed and accurate information on how federal funds are being spent, the DATA Act serves as a critical first step toward ensuring that every citizen has the information he or she needs to understand the choices our officials make while investing public resources.

McFate also added:

In the coming years, our nation will be facing tough choices about how we spend precious public dollars. The DATA Act is a critical first step toward ensuring that every citizen has the information he or she needs to understand the choices our public officials make while investing public resources. By making these choices more transparent, the Act will make government more accountable to the needs and priorities of the American people.

The DATA Act now heads to the Senate, where a companion measure S. 1222, sponsored by Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), awaits action in the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.