On Tuesday, May 19, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved legislation that would establish a congressional commission to examine how evidence and data can assist in reviewing federal programs and tax expenditures.
The legislation is bipartisan and sponsored by Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WS) Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee. The bill is called the Evidence-Based Policymaking Commission Act of 2015,
Ryan said, “We need to look at the evidence when we make policy because we need to know what works. This commission will start to create a culture of success in our government by putting the focus on results, not effort. I’m glad the Committee has approved the bill, and now I’m going to work with my colleagues to pass it on the floor of the House.”
The bill would establish a 15-member commission to study how best to expand the use of data to evaluate the effectiveness of federal programs and tax expenditures. The commission would also study how best to protect the privacy rights of people who interact with federal agencies and ensure confidentiality.
