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S. 4130Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

COST Act

Sponsored by Joni ErnstSen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Introduced March 18, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated March 25, 2026 at 4:51 AM UTC

The Cost Openness and Spending Transparency (COST) Act would require any federal agency, independent regulator, state or local government, or other entity that receives federal money to publicly disclose how much of a project’s cost is covered by taxpayer dollars. The bill forces these entities to put a clear “price tag” on projects in press releases, bid solicitations, and other public statements, making the share of federal versus non‑government funding visible to the public.

Key Provisions

  • Defines “agency” to include executive agencies and independent regulatory agencies.
  • Mandates that any public communication about a program, project, or activity using federal funds must state the percentage and dollar amount of federal funding and the percentage and dollar amount of non‑government funding, except for very short messages (280 characters or less).
  • Requires the entity carrying out the work to certify in its performance progress reports that it complied with the disclosure rules.
  • Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to annually review a random sample of such communications for compliance and publish the findings.
  • Orders OMB, within one year of enactment, to set up an anonymous reporting system so the public can flag communications that fail to include the required funding disclosures.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
SenateCommittee Latest Action

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

March 18, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 18, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

March 18, 2026

SenateCommittee

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.

Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

March 18, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 18, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4130

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 18, 2026

Ms. Ernst (for herself and Mr. Scott of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To put a public price tag on all projects supported with taxpayer dollars.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Cost Openness and Spending Transparency Act of 2026 or the COST Act.

2.

Disclosure requirements for Federal funds

(a)

In general

Subchapter III of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

1356.

Disclosure requirements for Federal funds

(a)

Definition

In this section, the term agency means—

(1)

an Executive agency, as defined in section 105 of title 5; and

(2)

an independent regulatory agency, as defined in section 3502 of title 44.

(b)

Disclosure requirements

An agency and an individual or entity (including a State or local government and a recipient of a Federal research grant) carrying out a program, project, or activity that is, in whole or in part, carried out using Federal funds shall clearly state in any statement, press release, request for proposals, bid solicitation, or other document describing the program, project, or activity, other than a communication containing not more than 280 characters—

(1)

the percentage of the total costs of the program, project, or activity which will be financed with Federal funds;

(2)

the dollar amount of the Federal funds made available for the program, project, or activity; and

(3)

the percentage of the total costs of, and dollar amount for, the program, project, or activity that will be financed by nongovernmental sources.

(c)

Certification

An individual or entity carrying out a program, project, or activity that is, in whole or in part, carried out using Federal funds shall, as part of the performance progress reporting regarding the program, project, or activity, include a certification indicating whether the individual or entity complied with the disclosure requirements under subsection (b) with respect to communications containing not more than 280 characters relating to the program, project, or activity.

(d)

Compliance review

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall annually—

(1)

review a random sampling of public communications issued by agencies and recipients of Federal funds for compliance with the disclosure requirements under subsection (b); and

(2)

make publicly available the findings of the review under paragraph (1).

(e)

Public reporting

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall make available to the public a mechanism to anonymously report communications that do not comply with the disclosure requirements under subsection (b), which shall require that such a report include—

(1)

the noncompliant communication or, if publicly available, the location of the noncompliant communication; and

(2)

identifying information regarding the program, project, or activity that is, in whole or in part, carried out using Federal funds.

.

(b)

Technical and conforming amendment

The table of sections for subchapter III of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

1356. Disclosure requirements for Federal funds.

.