Dear Majority Leader Frist:

On behalf of the millions of taxpaying citizens represented by the groups signed below, we strongly urge you to bring S. 2590, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, to the Senate floor for a vote. The bill, sponsored by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Barack Obama (D-IL), would direct the Office of Management and Budget to create a publicly-available website that would list every entity receiving federal financial assistance, such as grants or contracts, and the totals awarded for each fiscal year. Such a website would entail very little cost and would greatly increase transparency in the distribution of government funding. At last, those who most deserve to know about this process – the American people – would have a tool to examine and evaluate the federal government’s funding decisions and priorities.

And yet, after being “hotlined” for unanimous passage, the bill was suddenly derailed when a secret hold was placed, indicating a Senator would object to it on the floor. After weeks of investigation, ordinary citizens used phone calls and several websites to narrow the holds down to Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Robert Byrd (D-WV). Both Senators then admitted publicly to the holds. And yet, Stevens has renewed his hold and, along with an anonymous Democrat, stands in the way of this common-sense legislation.

This unprecedented flurry of “outside the Beltway” action from across the political spectrum suggests that support for this bill is strong among the general public. Advocates from all ideological points of view share the common notion that transparency of and public access to government information is vital to the health of our political system. Through letters such as this one, over 110 groups – of all ideological persuasions – have conveyed to the Senate their strong support for this measure.

Citizens should no longer be forced to navigate the confusing labyrinth of bureaucracy just to find out how their tax dollars are spent. Furthermore, internal conflicts and parliamentary maneuvers should not prevent the passage of a bill with such widespread support. Americans of all political stripes have spoken with a unified voice in favor of transparency and accountability. Now, they call upon you to bring S. 2590 to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as possible.

We thank you for your public commitments to bring this bill to the floor and want to work with you to ensure this important legislation receives a straightforward vote when the Senate reconvenes.

Sincerely,

John Berthoud President National Taxpayers Union	Ashok Mehan ADEZZA Federal Consulting
Emily Ferry Executive Director Alaska Transportation Priorities Project	J. William Lauderback Executive Vice President The American Conservative Union
Scott Barstow Director of Public Policy American Counseling Association	Darryl Fagin Legislative Director Americans for Democratic Action
Mary Alice Baish Washington Affairs Representative American Association of Law Libraries	Helena R. Berger Chief Operating Officer American Association of People with Disabilities
Dr. Jane Orient Executive Director American Association of Physicians and Surgeons	F. Patricia Callahan President and General Counsel American Association of Small Property Owners
Lynne Bradley Director of Government Relations American Libraries Association	Kevin Goldberg American Society of Newspaper Editors
Tim Phillips President Americans for Prosperity	Timothy Wise President Arlington County Taxpayers Association
Richard Karpel Executive Director Association of Alternative News Weeklies	Prue Adler Associate Executive Director Association of Research Libraries
Bruce Martin Secretary Buddhists for Fair Taxation	Peter Scheer Executive Director California First Amendment Coalition
Terry Francke General Counsel Californians Aware	Charlie Cray Director Center for Corporate Policy
Ari Schwartz Deputy Director Center for Democracy and Technology	J. Bradley Jansen Director Center for Financial Privacy and Human Rights
Jeffrey Mazzella President Center for Individual Freedom	Robert E. Wordlaw Executive Director Chicago Jobs Council
Barbara Anderson Executive Director Citizens for Limited Taxation	Doug Bandow Vice President of Policy Citizen Outreach
Debbie Weinstein Executive Director Coalition on Human Needs	Chellie Pingree President and CEO Common Cause
Lawrence G. Sandoval Staff Representative Communication Workers of America	Keith Runyon President Pro Tem Concerned United Taxpayers
Naomi E. Shaiken President Connecticut Call to Action	Howard Phillips Chairman The Conservative Caucus, Inc
Bob Shavelson Cook Inletkeeper (AK)	Thomas Schatz President Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
John Isaacs President Council for a Livable World	Edward J. Spar Executive Director Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
Jim Babka President DownsizeDC.org	Phyllis Schlafly President and Founder Eagle Forum
John Richard Essential Information	John McLaughry President Ethan Allen Institute
Bob Williams President Evergreen Freedom Foundation	Steven Aftergood Director Federation of American Scientists
Erich Pica Director, Domestic Program Friends of the Earth	Tom Devine Legal Director Government Accountability Project
Richard O. Rowland President Grassroot Institute of Hawaii	Rick Hind Legislative Director Greenpeace
Jon Coupal President Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association	Kevin McLaughlin President Iowans for Discounted Taxes
Michael D. Ostrolenk National Director Liberty Coalition	Patrick Sammon Executive Vice President Log Cabin Republicans
Maria Powell Madison Environmental Justice Organization	Richard Falknor Executive Vice President Maryland Taxpayers Association
Forest Thigpen President Mississippi Center for Public Policy	Charles Davis Executive Director National Freedom of Information Coalition
Greg Speeter Executive Director National Priorities Project	Doug Kagan Chairman Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom
Marge Clark, BVM Lobbyist NETWORK: National Catholic Social Justice Lobby	Joel Kupferman Executive Director New York Environmental Law & Justice Project
Michael Mariotte Executive Director Nuclear Information and Resource Service	Patrice McDermott Director OpenTheGovernment.org
Bob Barr Chairman Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances	Marjorie A. Parker Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois
Monica Moore Program Director Pesticide Action Network North America Regional Center	James A. Landrith, Jr. Founder Pious Pagan Publishing
Danielle Brian Executive Director Project on Government Oversight	Timothy J. Schmaltz Coordinator/CEO Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition
Peter Suber Open Access Project Director Public Knowledge	Lucy Dalglish Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
William Westmiller Chairman Republican Liberty Caucus	Paul Gessing President Rio Grande Foundation
Nick Sauvie Executive Director ROSE Community Development (OR)	Kathy Burns Sciencecorps
Ellen Miller Executive Director Sunlight Foundation	Steve Ellis Vice President of Programs Taxpayers for Common Sense Action
David Strom President Taxpayers League of Minnesota	Rick Durham President Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc
John Chelen President Unison Institute	Jeff Blum Executive Director US Action
Dane von Breichenruchardt Executive Director U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation	Ed Mierzwinski Consumer Program Director U.S. Public Interest Research Group
Craig Gillette VelvetRevolution.us	Rose Bogaert Chair Wayne County Taxpayers Association, Inc
Sylvia G. Ray Executive Director Women’s Center of Fayetteville (AR)