Bloggers Tell Congress: Show Us The Money In an apparent victory for Internet bloggers, Congress has voted to establish a public database of federal contracts and grants. The House and Senate passed the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act on Sept. 13. The two versions of the bill are identical, so the legislation will go directly to President Bush for signature. The administration has expressed its support. Senate passage was delayed because two senators had placed anonymous “holds” on the bill, blocking a vote. Internet bloggers launched a campaign to identify the senators and pressure other members to bring the bill to the floor. The two senators, Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Robert Byrd (D-WV), eventually identified themselves and withdrew their objections. “The group that deserves credit for passing this bill, however, is not Congress, but the army of bloggers and concerned citizens who told Congress that transparency is a just demand for all citizens, not a special privilege for political insiders,” said the co-sponsor, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). The House earlier passed a bill setting up a database of grants, not contracts, but House sponsors agreed to broader coverage. In a joint statement, House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and the bill’s sponsors, Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-VA) and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said, “Our legislation creates a transparent system for reviewing these expenditures so that Congress, the press, and the American public have the information they need to conduct proper oversight of the use of our tax dollars.” The database, to be operating by 2008, will be a Web-based search engine allowing taxpayers to see where their money is going. It will provide details on contracts and grants above $25,000, except for classified information and federal assistance payments to individuals. Information on subcontracts will be added the next year. OMB Director Rob Portman said, "Taxpayers benefit from having the necessary information to hold government accountable for results." Whether the new database will improve the accuracy of federal contract data is unclear. Procurement specialists inside and outside the government say GSA’s Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation, the official compilation of contract information, is inadequate.