Sens. Pete Ricketts and Jacky Rosen introduced the Improper Payments Transparency Act on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Getty)
"We owe it to the hardworking people of Nevada to make sure that the federal government is using their tax dollars efficiently and responsibly. Our bipartisan legislation will help to increase transparency and cut down on wasteful government spending. I’ll keep working to clean up Washington and look after American taxpayers’ hard-earned money," Rosen added.
About $2.8 trillion in improper payments have been made since 2003, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates, with about $236 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2023 and $161.6 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2024. The GAO found in Fiscal Year 2023 that 10 of 24 executive branch agencies required to report improper payments did not fully comply, so the cost of improper payments could be much higher.
The Improper Payments Transparency Act was named one of the top bipartisan bills for taxpayers on the National Taxpayers Union's 2024 "No Brainers" List.
While Republicans have been following Musk's lead on DOGE initiatives to cut wasteful government funding, Democrats have been calling for more transparency from President Donald Trump's administration. Ricketts and Rosen's bipartisan bill, which is independent of DOGE, could be an opportunity for senators to come together on the issue.
President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch the launch of a SpaceX Starship rocket on Nov. 19, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Congress also established the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency Caucus in the same month to support DOGE through legislative action. Additionally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., leads the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency for oversight on government efficiency efforts.
Trump signed an executive order establishing the DOGE on Inauguration Day, directing Musk to lead the federal government's efforts "to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." The Trump administration has since directed government agencies to comply with DOGE's departmental investigations.
DOGE's audits have led to mass layoffs and departures from the federal workforce and slashed federal programs to uncover billions of dollars in savings. Many Democrats have protested Trump's executive actions as Republicans have typically embraced the federal shake-up.
Fox News Digital's Charlie Creitz contributed this report.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doge-inspired-bipartisan-bill-seeks-payment-transparency-clean-up-washington