Mike Enzi: “I rise to submit to the Senate a statement in support of Sunshine Week, an annual event that spotlights the key need of…”

“I rise to submit to the Senate a statement in support of Sunshine Week, an annual event that spotlights the key need of a government-transparency. Without openness and access to how all levels of government spend tax dollars or make key decisions, accountability and oversight will lack. Where transparency is lacking, waste, fraud, and duplication tend to proliferate. The Government Accountability Office-GAO-regularly cites ``lack of transparency'' as a chronic problem across many agencies and programs. This can have serious consequences. This causes increased taxpayer spending and improper payments. This hinders competition. In turn, a lack of transparency can affect everything from public health to our national defense. Given the profound and far-reaching impacts of Federal programs and policies, the people need to know how their tax dollars are being spent. Without access to reliable, accurate information, how can we be sure good decisions are being made when it comes to spending the tax dollars of hard-working families? Sure that the policies we craft in this Chamber are working as intended? Sure that our limited resources go where they are needed most? Sure that the programs we create aren't causing harm? Well that is why, as the chairman of the Budget Committee, I have focused the last several years on enhancing transparency and improving both the quality and quantity of data available for all decisionmakers.…”