To amend the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to require prior approval from Congress before the Comptroller General may pursue a civil action under such Act, and for other purposes.

This bill would change how the government watchdog can take the government to court over spending disputes. It says the Comptroller General (the head of the Government Accountability Office) could only sue to enforce federal spending rules if Congress first approves it through a joint decision called a concurrent resolution. Today, the watchdog can sue without getting Congress’s go-ahead; this bill would add that extra step.

In simple terms, if a president or agency delays or withholds money that Congress already approved, the watchdog would need Congress’s permission before asking a judge to step in. That could slow or limit court challenges about how federal funds are used or delayed.

• Who is affected: The Government Accountability Office, Congress, federal agencies, and indirectly the public programs that rely on timely federal funding.
• What changes: The watchdog needs Congress’s prior approval before filing a civil lawsuit to enforce spending rules under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
• When: Would take effect once enacted into law (the text adds the approval requirement to existing law).