“To require the disclosure of information relating to the cost of programs, projects, or activities carried out using Federal funds.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes the short title of the Act as the “Cost Openness and Spending Transparency Act of 2025” or the “COST Act.”
This section establishes disclosure requirements for any program, project, or activity carried out in whole or in part with Federal funds. It requires an agency and any individual or entity, including a State or local government and a recipient of a Federal research grant, to clearly state in statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other documents describing the activity: (1) the percentage of total costs financed with Federal funds; (2) the dollar amount of Federal funds made available; and (3) the percentage and dollar amount financed by nongovernmental sources. The section exempts communications containing not more than 280 characters. This section also requires an individual or entity carrying out such an activity to include, as part of performance progress reporting, a certification stating whether it complied with the disclosure requirements. It directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to annually review a random sampling of public communications issued by agencies and recipients of Federal funds for compliance and to publicly release the findings. It further requires the Director, not later than 1 year after enactment, to make available a public mechanism for anonymous reporting of noncompliant communications, including the communication or its location and identifying information about the funded program, project, or activity.