President Trump signs legislation requiring disclosure of delayed federal projects

President Donald Trump signed the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act into law on October 7, 2026. The Washington Examiner reported that the legislation was sponsored by Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa. The new law targets federal projects that face severe financial or timing overruns across government agencies. [1][2]

Under the terms of the legislation, federal agencies must publicly report any major project that is at least $1 billion over budget. According to the Washington Examiner, the public disclosure requirement also applies to any government project that is at least five years behind schedule. [1]

The measure seeks to increase public transparency around large federal spending initiatives. Previous federal legislation involving large-scale investments includes the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law on August 9, 2022, to authorize roughly $280 billion for domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing. [1][3][4]