Comer Opens Markup of Legislation to Reform Government Spending, Address Regulatory Overreach, and Improve Cybersecurity

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) opened today’s markup of several bills aimed at reforming government spending, addressing regulatory burdens, and improving cybersecurity. Chairman Comer urged the committee to pass legislation to address the federal government’s reckless spending problem, address the Biden Administration’s overreach, and to improve cybersecurity readiness.

Below are Chairman Comer’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery.

Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability will consider a range of bills that go to the core of this Committee’s mission to root out fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government and to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

First, we will address the federal government’s spending problem head on with the Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act, or USA Act, which would decrease and eventually eliminate funding for federal programs that Congress fails to authorize.

We will address the Biden Administration’s regulatory overreach through two bills—the Fair and Open Competition Act and the Mission not Emissions Act.

Three bills—the Unfunded Mandates Accountability and Transparency Act, the Guidance Out of Darkness Act, and the Guidance Clarity Act—propose necessary regulatory reforms.

Committee members will also have the opportunity to weigh in on noncitizen voting which was recently authorized by the D.C. City Council.

Lastly, we will consider three bipartisan bills to improve federal government cybersecurity readiness and artificial intelligence education, as well as agency software management—the Modernizing the Acquisition of Cybersecurity Experts Act, the AI Training Expansion Act, and the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act.

Out of these ten bills, half have bipartisan cosponsors.

I’m encouraged to see my colleagues coming together to improve our federal government.

Congressional Republicans are committed to ensuring the accountability and effectiveness of the federal government.

The Oversight Committee will continue to reform government spending, address regulatory burdens, and improve cybersecurity.

I now recognize Ranking Member Raskin for an opening statement.