Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025

Increased Transparency of Agency Decisions: The bill requires agencies to make the critical factual material used for rules and guidance available in a rulemaking docket or public administrative record (Section 2(c)(1)(A)). This allows the public to see exactly what information the government is relying on.

Improved Access to Information: Agencies are directed to provide notice and an opportunity for the public to comment on critical factual material used in notice and comment rulemaking (Section 2(c)(1)(B)(ii)). Additionally, agencies are instructed to make critical factual material available as an open Government data asset (Section 2(c)(3)(A)).

Higher Quality Federal Guidance: The act mandates that agencies update guidelines to ensure they rely on the "best reasonably available information and evidence that is fit-for-purpose" (Section 2(b)(1)). This is intended to maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of influential information (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).

Accountability for Information Accuracy: The bill requires agencies to ensure administrative mechanisms are available for seeking and obtaining the correction of influential information or evidence that does not comply with updated guidelines (Section 2(b)(3)).

Potential Costs to the Government: The directive to implement public disclosure requirements is to be done "to the maximum extent feasible, considering costs to the Federal Government" (Section 2(c)(2)(A)(ii)). This suggests that cost limitations may influence how much information is actually shared.

Limited Information Access: There are exceptions where information may not be made available in a rulemaking docket or administrative record, such as when information is prohibited from being disclosed by statute (Section 2(c)(2)(A)(iii)).

Lack of Funding: The act explicitly states that "no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated" for the purpose of carrying out the act or its amendments (Section 2(c)).