A House committee has approved legislation to block the Obama administration from requiring contractors to disclose political contributions.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee backed the Keeping Politics Out of Federal Contracting Act, H.R. 2008, by a voice vote on April 26.

According to a committee summary, the bill “would reaffirm the fundamental principle that federal contracts should be awarded free from political considerations and be based on the best value to the taxpayers.” It was introduced by Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-CA, along with Rep. Tom Cole, R-OK, and House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-MO.

Last year the Obama administration circulated a draft executive order that would have required contractors to disclose their political contributions whenever they bid on a federal contract. The administration said taxpayers are entitled to know how their money is being spent.

The proposed order, which has not been issued, provoked loud opposition from contractor groups and some members of Congress. Opponents said it would inject politics into the procurement process.

The draft order was part of the administration’s response to a Supreme Court decision that allows anonymous political contributions. The decision led to the rise of huge political action committees that are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to influence elections.

After the House committee vote, 40 members of Congress sent a letter to the president urging him to proceed with the executive order. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-CA, said, “This House bill represents the opposite of what voters are demanding—disclosure and transparency.”