Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
The House of Representatives approved the HUD Transparency Act on December 1, 2025, a bill introduced by Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz of Texas’s 15th District. The legislation requires the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to testify before Congress every year on efforts to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse across HUD’s programs.
According to Congresswoman De La Cruz, “Today, the House took a critical step toward rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse to ensure HUD’s housing programs are serving all Americans. Improving accountability and protecting American taxpayer dollars will always be a top priority. I look forward to Senate passage and sending this bill to President Trump’s desk for his signature.”
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HUD is a cabinet-level agency established in 1965 to oversee federal housing policy, administer programs supporting affordable housing, and enforce fair housing laws. Oversight of the department was strengthened nationally in 1978, when Congress created independent Offices of Inspector General across federal agencies. These offices are responsible for auditing and investigating agency operations to prevent misuse of federal funds.
By requiring the HUD Inspector General to testify annually, the new legislation seeks to ensure that findings on program management, financial controls, and potential vulnerabilities are clearly communicated to lawmakers regularly. Supporters argue that consistent reporting will help Congress better understand how federal housing resources are being managed and where improvements may be needed.
The bill passed the House with bipartisan support, reflecting shared interest in strengthening oversight of federal spending. Its next step is consideration in the Senate. If approved, it will move to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for signature. Congresswoman De La Cruz stated that she anticipates continued progress and expressed her intention to see the bill fully enacted.
The HUD Transparency Act focuses on strengthening accountability within one of the nation’s largest housing agencies, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and that housing programs are administered responsibly for the benefit of Americans nationwide.
