Following the flow of government spending data is a complex, and often fruitless, pursuit. At the federal level there are few standards to ensure consistent reporting across agencies, public reporting is limited, and the accuracy of data is difficult to verify. The infrastructure used to track federal spending has often been updated in an ad-hoc manner and is in need of a thoughtful redesign.

The DATA Act, legislation that incorporates lessons learned and best practices from federal agencies, is moving through Congress and could soon become law. If passed, it will ensure that more, and more accurate, federal spending data is made publicly available online.

We are excited to host a panel assessing the current state of spending transparency and examining the challenges facing its future. Our group of experts will discuss the DATA Act’s prospects, detail efforts underway within the executive branch, and explore the future of spending transparency. The event will take place on Monday, December 16 at 2:00 p.m. in room 2203 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

We hope you will be able to join us and ask that you please RSVP here.

Panelists:

• Hudson Hollister: Executive Director, the Data Transparency Coalition

• Jonathan Kraden: Counsel, U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee [TENTATIVE]

• Nancy DiPaolo: Chief of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board

• Navin Beekarry: Associate Fellow, Center for Law, Economics, and Science George Washington University

• Ross Bezark: Executive Director, the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board

• Moderator Kaitlin Devine: Senior Web Developer, the Sunlight Foundation