HR1722-119

What This Bill Does

The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025 creates a public reporting system for major federal projects that are badly delayed or far over budget. Covered agencies include executive agencies and independent regulatory agencies. A covered project is one funded by a covered agency that is more than five years behind its original expected completion date or has spent at least $1 billion more than the original cost estimate. The definition of project includes major acquisitions, major defense acquisition programs, procurements, construction projects, remediation or cleanup efforts, and other time-limited endeavors, but excludes direct spending. Within one year, the OMB Director must issue guidance requiring agencies to submit annual information on each covered project, including purpose, location, contract or award number, start year, federal cost share, primary contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, scope changes, original and current completion dates, CPI-adjusted original and current cost estimates, explanations for delays or cost increases including appropriations impacts, and the amount and rationale for any award, incentive fee, or bonus. OMB must submit the information to Congress and post it on the OMB website annually.

Who Benefits and How

Congress benefits from a recurring list of federal projects that are more than five years late or at least $1 billion over budget. Taxpayers benefit from public disclosure of project purpose, cost growth, schedule delay, contractors, grant recipients, and bonus payments. Agency oversight officials benefit from standardized OMB guidance for identifying and reporting delayed or over-budget projects. Watchdog groups and journalists benefit from public OMB website reporting. Competing bidders and project managers benefit from visibility into incentives and performance problems on large federal work.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The OMB Director must issue guidance, collect agency submissions, report to Congress, and post the annual public report. Executive agencies and independent regulatory agencies must identify covered projects and submit detailed cost, schedule, contractor, grantee, scope, and delay information. Primary contractors, subcontractors, grant recipients, and subgrantees may face public scrutiny when their projects appear on the report. Program managers must explain cost increases, schedule slips, and any award or incentive fees. Agencies with insufficient or delayed appropriations must document how funding affected project performance.

Key Provisions

• Defines covered projects as agency-funded projects more than five years late or at least $1 billion over the original cost estimate.
• Covers major acquisitions, defense acquisition programs, procurements, construction projects, remediation efforts, and similar time-limited work.
• Requires OMB guidance within one year for annual covered-agency submissions.
• Requires project descriptions, locations, award numbers, start years, federal cost share, and contractor or grantee identities.
• Requires original and current completion dates and CPI-adjusted cost estimates.
• Requires explanations for delays, cost increases, appropriations impacts, and bonus or incentive payments.
• Requires OMB to submit the annual report to Congress and post it publicly.