WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association (NGA) today issued the following statement regarding the establishment of an independent agency in the executive branch to improve transparency in federal spending and coordinate investigations to prevent fraud:

“While governors support the need for transparency in accountability and reporting, they have long opposed unfunded mandates.

“The DATA Act (H.R. 2146) builds upon lessons learned by states in tracking federal funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Unfortunately, funding is not provided for the Act’s numerous new requirements.

“Without funding for state compliance, governors cannot implement the bill and therefore do not support the passage of the DATA Act. Governors encourage Congress to work with them to develop a more workable solution that meets the needs of states."

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