HR 3141119th CongressIn Committee

CFPB Budget Integrity Act

Introduced: May 1, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The CFPB Budget Integrity Act would tighten how the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) manages and reports its unobligated funds. Specifically, it would cap the amount of unobligated balances the CFPB may have in a fiscal year at 5% of a baseline dollar amount defined in the CFPB funding statute. Any unobligated balance above that cap would be transferred to the general fund of the Treasury. The bill also requires an annual report to include a description of how any unobligated balances were used. In short, the bill aims to limit the carryover of unused funds at the CFPB and improve transparency about how those funds are used.

Key Points

1Caps unobligated balances: For each fiscal year, the CFPB may not have unobligated balances exceeding 5% of the baseline amount specified in the statute (the dollar amount referred to in subparagraph A(iii) of Section 1017(a)(2)).
2Mandatory transfer of excess: Any unobligated balances above the 5% cap must be transferred to the general fund of the U.S. Treasury (i.e., effectively returned to taxpayers).
3Enhanced reporting: The annual reporting requirement (Section 1017(e)(4)) is expanded to require a description of how any unobligated balances were used.
4Relationship to current funding structure: The change directly affects the CFPB’s budget authority and carryover practices under the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010.
5Legislative status: Introduced in the House on May 1, 2025 by Rep. Downing (and co-sponsors Meuser, Ogles, Sessions) and referred to the Committee on Financial Services. As of introduction, it has not become law.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- CFPB and its budget management: The Bureau would need to plan operations within a stricter carryover limit and ensure any excess is remitted to Treasury; personnel responsible for budget execution and financial reporting would be directly affected.Secondary group/area affected- U.S. Treasury and taxpayers: Excess unobligated funds would be redirected to the general fund, reducing available carryover for any Bureau activities and increasing Treasury receipts in the year the transfer is required.Additional impacts- Operational planning and multi-year initiatives: Programs that rely on carrying unobligated funds across fiscal years could face uncertainties or disruptions if carryover is capped.- Transparency and accountability: The added reporting requirement would increase disclosure about how funds are used, potentially improving congressional oversight.- Budget process implications: This acts as a budget-control mechanism within the CFPB’s funding framework and could spark discussions about the appropriate level of carryover for the Bureau and the overall federal budgeting approach to independent agencies.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 31, 2025