BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming is supporting proposed changes to federal grant regulations that he said would improve transparency, accountability and oversight of billions of dollars in federal funding distributed to states and local governments.
Fleming announced his support for a comment letter submitted by the State Financial Officers Foundation to the Office of Management and Budget in response to the agency’s proposed overhaul of federal financial assistance regulations.
The letter, signed by Fleming and four other state financial officers, urges the Office of Management and Budget to preserve statutory limits on federal agencies, reinforce congressional intent, strengthen financial oversight and ensure federal grant programs remain focused on their authorized purposes.
“As Louisiana’s chief financial officer, I can attest that taxpayers deserve confidence that every federal dollar is spent responsibly and for its intended purpose,” Fleming said. “The recommendations advanced by the State Financial Officers Foundation promote common-sense safeguards that will strengthen public trust while ensuring states can continue delivering critical services efficiently.”
The proposal also calls for greater transparency in grant awards, stronger protections against waste, fraud and abuse, and consistent standards for state governments responsible for administering federal funds.
“State financial officers are the watchdogs for taxpayers,” Fleming said. “One of our most important responsibilities is to ensure that federal funds are managed with integrity, transparency, and accountability. These recommendations will help protect taxpayers from wasteful spending while giving states the clarity needed to administer federal programs effectively.”
Fleming said Louisiana administers billions of dollars in federal assistance each year through state agencies and local partners, making consistent grant policies important for fiscal management.
He also said the federal government should adhere to congressional intent when distributing taxpayer funds.
“The federal government has an obligation to respect the rule of law and the intent of Congress when distributing taxpayer dollars,” Fleming said. “These commonsense SFOF recommendations strike the right balance by promoting responsible stewardship without creating unnecessary burdens on the states.”
Fleming encouraged the Office of Management and Budget to consider the foundation’s recommendations as it finalizes the revised federal grantmaking regulations.
“Our goal should always be to ensure that taxpayer dollars serve the public interest, not bureaucracy, politics, or special interests,” Fleming said. “I commend my SFOF colleagues for leading this important effort to improve accountability and strengthen public confidence in the management of federal funds.”