Palmer Bill Creates Transparency within Federal Agencies

Press Release

Following the passage of his bill, the Settlement Agreement Information Database Act (SAID Act), H.R. 300, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) released the following statement:

"The American people have been kept in the dark about legally binding agreements made by federal agencies for too long. Legal settlements made by these agencies must be transparent. With no database or recordkeeping standard, the public can only access this information from quickly written press releases, at best," Palmer said. "This bipartisan bill will substantially increase government transparency. The SAID Act will provide transparency, oversight, and accountability by making these records publicly accessible. The database will be overseen and maintained by the Office of Management and Budget and include a list of state and local governments and other entities impacted by the settlement."

Background: The SAID Act requires federal agencies to submit information regarding settlement agreements and consent decrees into a publicly accessible database overseen by the Office of Management and Budget. In the instance of an agency believing an agreement should be confidential, the SAID Act will require a public explanation to be published. This level of transparency will provide state and local officials, as well as the general public, a trail of documentation explaining these deals made by federal agencies.

Today, the SAID Act passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 425 - 0.

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