Executive Transparency Act

The Executive Transparency Act proposes to amend Title 5 of the United States Code by adding a new section, 2955, which mandates annual briefings from numerous federal officials to specific congressional committees. This legislation aims to enhance transparency and oversight by establishing a formal requirement for regular communication between the executive branch and Congress. The bill identifies 30 key officials who would be subject to this requirement, encompassing a wide range of government functions. These officials include all Cabinet Secretaries, such as the Secretary of State , Secretary of Defense , and Attorney General , as well as heads of major agencies like the Director of National Intelligence , the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency , and the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service . Additionally, chairs of independent regulatory bodies like the Federal Reserve Board , the Securities and Exchange Commission , and the Federal Trade Commission are included. Each designated official would be required to provide an annual briefing to a specific set of congressional committees. These committees typically include the Appropriations Committees of both the House and Senate, along with other relevant authorizing committees pertinent to the official's area of responsibility. The form and manner of these briefings would be determined by the applicable committees, ensuring flexibility in how information is conveyed.