Government Reform
Overview
We live in the greatest nation on earth, and my job is to make sure we preserve America’s promise for future generations. I’m a member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (OGR), the main investigative body in the House, and I focus extensively on government reform issues.
My "Fixing Congress" speech in 2011 helped to launch a series of reform measures to cut government waste and eliminate, increase transparency and make the government work better for its citizens. I’m a founding member of the “Fix Congress Now” and “No Labels” groups and have been named a “Problem-Solver” for my commitment to working across the aisle and putting nation before party.
One of my proposed reforms, “No Budget, No Pay” is now the law of the land, and more reform efforts are underway including the launch of a major bipartisan reform package in July. One of my efforts to eliminate wasteful and duplicative programs was approved by the 113th Congress as a rules measure. I’ve also introduced bipartisan legislation requiring federal agencies to produce an annual a list of their programs and submit it to the Office of Management and Budget so we can identify additional duplicative efforts.
We need more accountability and transparency in our nation’s finances. The Consolidated Financial Report of the United States Government is the most important government financial document because it shows a real picture of our nation’s finances, but most folks don’t even know it exists. It is the only government document that includes liabilities like Medicare and Social Security that are on the country's "credit card" for future payment, and it’s published every year by the Treasury. In 2006, I wrote a foreword to the Financial Report which was published, along with the full report text, and available in bookstores across America. A subcommittee of OGR held a hearing on the 2011 report, and you can watch video of my comments here.
As one of the first members to reject earmarks, I am glad that we again have a ban on earmarks this Congress. But we need a permanent fix, and that's why I'm working on legislation to completely end the practice.
I also continue to support redistricting reform and was proud once again to introduce the Redistricting Transparency Act, which would curb the practice of gerrymandering by letting the public participate in the Congressional redistricting process.
Links & Additional Information
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Recovery.Gov
Financial Report of the United States Government
More on Government Reform
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) today announced he is co-sponsoring the Protecting Our Democracy Act, a bill that would compel Congress to create a bipartisan, independent commission to examine foreign interference – specifically by Russia – in the 2016 election.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05), working with U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-07), today announced House passage of his first bill of the new congressional session. The bill will provide Americans with more information on how tax dollars are spent.
Cleared without opposition in the House today, the Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act also unanimously passed the House in the last two sessions of Congress.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) and other members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today called for an investigation related to an internal Pentagon study that identified $125 billion in potential savings, but never saw the light of day.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) and the Democratic Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to Chairman Jason Chaffetz requesting an immediate review of President-elect Donald Trump’s financial arrangements.
In August, OGR Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz pledged to hold the next President-elect accountable, no matter who is in the White House saying his “job is to hold them accountable and provide that oversight.”
WASHINGTON – The U.S. House this week passed a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-5) and U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-7) that would require the federal government to highlight ways to eliminate duplicative programs.
Cleared without opposition in the House this week, the Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act also unanimously passed the House in the last session of Congress. The bill would compel each federal agency to publish an annual report card for every program.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) has reintroduced legislation that would stop congressional pay if America defaults on the national debt.
“Risking default is like playing with nitroglycerin. Never a good idea,” Rep. Cooper said. “This is much worse than shutting down government. This would be shutting down America. If Members of Congress betray our country by forcing America to default on our debts, we do not deserve to be paid. In fact, we deserve worse punishments.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) and U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (SC-05) today introduced the Earmark Elimination Act of 2015. The bipartisan bill would ban earmarks permanently from the legislative process.
WASHINGTON – A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-5) and U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-7) that would require the federal government to find ways to eliminate duplicative programs today passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (TN-05) and U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-8) today reintroduced two bills that would stop the secretive practice of gerrymandering by letting the public participate in the Congressional redistricting process.
“Gerrymandering is a dirty secret no one wants you to know about. Voters used to choose their leaders, but now politicians choose their voters,” Cooper said. “These reforms will shed much-needed sunlight on our shady elections process. And sunlight is the best disinfectant.”