Hud Transparency Act of 2025
Floor Speech
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Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 225) to require the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to testify before the Congress annually, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 225
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``HUD Transparency Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY.
Not later than October 1 of each year, the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development shall appear before the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and present testimony on the Office of Inspector General's--
(1) efforts to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse;
(2) ability to conduct and supervise audits, investigations, and reviews;
(3) actions to identify opportunities for the programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to progress and succeed;
(4) recommendations to improve overall efficiency and public accountability of the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(5) assessment of the extent to which the Department of Housing and Urban Development has resources sufficient to carry out its statutory mission; and
(6) ongoing activities regarding any such additional work, as appropriate.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 225, the HUD Transparency Act.
I thank the gentlewoman from Texas, Congresswoman De La Cruz, for sponsoring this legislation.
The HUD Transparency Act of 2025 is a piece of commonsense legislation that strengthens accountability, enhances oversight, and ensures the American people have a clear view into how Federal housing dollars are spent.
For years, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, has administered programs that touch millions of families, seniors, and veterans in communities across our Nation. These programs are critical. They support affordable housing development, combat homelessness, and help communities recover after disasters.
Unfortunately, over the years, in my view, the agency has shown time and time again they are unable to perform some basic functions. The agency continually fails to hold local public housing authorities responsible for providing safe housing.
Reports from the inspector general, the Government Accountability Office, and our own committee have repeatedly identified some of the same issues: outdated and incomplete reporting, inconsistent and unverifiable data, missed deadlines, and major programs operating without clear evidence of effectiveness.
As the branch with the power of the purse, it is Congress' responsibility to ensure tax dollars that go toward HUD's programs are managed effectively, efficiently, and transparently. H.R. 225 delivers on that responsibility.
This bill requires the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to annually testify before Congress so we can ensure the Department is meeting its performance reporting and management standards. By requiring the HUD Inspector General to appear in front of Congress, Ms. De La Cruz's bill makes HUD take the necessary steps to publish key performance information, report program outcomes in a timely manner, and makes the data available so Congress and the public can better ensure Federal housing programs are meeting their goals.
The HUD Transparency Act is a straightforward, bipartisan solution to a longstanding problem. HUD needs to use consistent reporting formats so Congress can compare outcomes across programs and track progress over time. It ensures that the American people can see how their tax dollars are being used.
These are basic principles of good governance. Transparency strengthens public trust and improves program performance. It allows Congress to address problems early instead of after tax dollars have been wasted or ones in need have been left behind.
Importantly, this bill does so without imposing new burdens on State or local governments and without slowing down the delivery of critical housing assistance. H.R. 225 simply ensures that HUD operates with the openness and accountability the American people expect and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. De La Cruz for this important measure, and I urge our colleagues to support it.
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Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the Congressional Budget Office estimate for this bill. H.R. 225, HUD TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2025, AS REPORTED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL SERVICES ON JULY 15, 2025 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ By fiscal year, millions of dollars-- ----------------------------------- 2025 2025-2030 2025-2035 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Direct Spending (Outlays)........... 0 0 0 Revenues............................ 0 0 0 Increase or Decrease (-) in the 0 0 0 Deficit............................ Spending Subject to Appropriation * * ** (Outlays).......................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * = between zero and $500,000. ** = not estimated.
Increases net direct spending in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036? No.
Increases on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2036? No.
Statutory pay-as-you-go procedures apply? No.
Mandate Effects:
Contains intergovernmental mandate? No.
Contains private-sector mandate? No.
H.R. 225 would require the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to testify annually before the Congress on different topics including the sufficiency of the agency's resources, actions taken to identify opportunities for program improvement, and the inspector general's ability to investigate and audit HUD programs to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Using information from the agency, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 225 would cost less than $500,000. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Zunara Naeem. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis. Phillip L. Swagel, Director, Congressional Budget Office.
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Mr. DAVIDSON. De La Cruz).
Ms. DE LA CRUZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 225, the HUD Transparency Act of 2025.
This commonsense legislation requires annual testimony from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general. By doing so, the HUD Transparency Act adds formal oversight over HUD that does not currently exist.
In the past, Congress has gone years without hearing from HUD's inspector general. With a budget that exceeds $70 billion, we must have proper oversight over HUD to ensure housing programs are working for all Americans.
That being said, my bill will require the inspector general to provide Congress with recommendations and insights into reforming HUD's programs and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in our Federal spending.
Housing issues impact all Americans. I commend this administration for their focus on restoring the American Dream of homeownership by bringing down housing costs and cutting red tape. Our HUD programs play a critical role in increasing the affordable housing supply and access nationwide.
However, the success of HUD's programs relies on the Department's ability to root out fraud, waste, and abuse. The HUD Transparency Act aids in this by adding critical oversight to ensure that those who qualify for HUD's programs can receive the housing assistance that they need.
Ms. DE LA CRUZ. Mr. Speaker, this legislation has a strong record of bipartisan support, including passage in the House in the 118th Congress.
As this legislation continues to receive overwhelming bipartisan support, I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in passing this important piece of legislation, the HUD Transparency Act of 2025.
For the reasons I explained earlier, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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