HR 1722: Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act of 2025

HR 1722 in plain English: This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect data from federal agencies on large government projects that are significantly over budget or behind schedule, and report that information to Congress each year. It targets projects that are more than five years behind schedule or have cost overruns of at least $1 billion above the original estimate. The annual report must be publicly posted on the OMB website.

Stated purpose

The bill requires the federal government to annually identify, document, and report to Congress any taxpayer-funded projects that are more than five years behind schedule or have gone at least $1 billion over their original cost estimate.

Key points

• Requires OMB to track federal projects that are more than 5 years behind schedule or at least $1 billion over original cost estimates
• Agencies must annually report project descriptions, original vs. current cost estimates adjusted for inflation, and explanations for delays or cost increases
• Agencies must disclose any bonuses, incentive fees, or awards paid out on over-budget or delayed projects
• OMB must submit an annual report to Congress and post it publicly on its website

Arguments supporters make

• Shining a public spotlight on overdue and over-budget projects creates pressure on agencies and contractors to manage taxpayer money more responsibly.
• Giving Congress a regular, consolidated report makes it easier for lawmakers to conduct oversight and take corrective action on wasteful spending.
• Requiring inflation-adjusted cost comparisons and bonus disclosures gives the public an honest, complete picture of how federal projects are actually performing.

Arguments opponents make

• The bill only requires reporting and does not give agencies any new authority or tools to actually fix the problems it documents, so it may produce paperwork without real change.
• Large, complex projects like defense systems or infrastructure often face delays and cost growth for legitimate reasons; labeling them 'boondoggles' in the bill's own title risks unfairly stigmatizing work that is genuinely difficult.
• Many of these projects are already subject to existing oversight mechanisms and reporting requirements, so this bill may duplicate efforts and add administrative burden without filling a real gap.

Tradeoffs

Greater public transparency and congressional oversight of troubled projects comes at the cost of additional reporting work for federal agencies; the bill also focuses on disclosure rather than enforcement, so the benefit depends on whether Congress and the public act on the information provided.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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