To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for a joint meeting of Congress to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General of the United States regarding the audited financial statement of the executive branch, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Braun (for himself, Mr. Manchin, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Blackburn, …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Fiscal State of the Nation Act requires Congress to hold an annual joint meeting to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General about the federal government's audited financial statements. The bill aims to increase transparency and accountability by ensuring lawmakers regularly review the nation's fiscal health in a public, televised forum.
Who Benefits and How
Congress and the Public benefit from increased transparency about federal finances. Members of Congress will receive an annual, nonpartisan briefing on the government's financial position, including budget deficits, net operating costs, and long-term fiscal sustainability projections. The public gains access to this information through mandatory open meetings with media coverage.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Comptroller General and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) must prepare and deliver an annual presentation that meets GAO standards for objectivity and nonpartisanship. The Executive Branch faces increased scrutiny as its audited financial statements become the subject of mandatory congressional review and public discussion.
Key Provisions
- Mandates an annual joint meeting of Congress within 45 business days after the Treasury submits its audited financial statement
- Requires the Comptroller General to present audit findings and analysis of the federal government's financial condition
- Ensures presentations are professional, fact-based, and nonpartisan per GAO standards
- Makes all joint meetings open to the public with radio, television, and photography access
- Requires future budget resolutions to include findings informed by these annual presentations
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
This bill amends title 31, United States Code, to mandate an annual joint meeting of Congress to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General regarding the audited financial statement of the executive branch.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary_of_the_treasury"
- → Secretary of the Treasury
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
An annual joint meeting of Congress to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General regarding the audited financial statement of the executive branch.
A resolution that includes a statement of findings informed by the most recently conducted presentation under subsection (f) of section 331 of title 31, United States Code.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology