I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7026 
Providing for a joint hearing of the Committees on the Budget of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate to receive a presentation from the 
Comptroller General of the United States regarding the audited financial 
statement of the executive branch. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 13, 2026 
Mr. BARR (for himself and Mr. PETERS) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Rules 
A BILL 
Providing for a joint hearing of the Committees on the 
Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General 
of the United States regarding the audited financial 
statement of the executive branch. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fiscal State of the 
Nation Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ANNUAL JOINT HEARING OF BUDGET COMMITTEES 
TO RECEIVE A PRESENTATION BY THE COMP-
TROLLER GENERAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 45 days (excluding 
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) after the date on which 
the Secretary of the Treasury submits to Congress the au-
dited financial statement required under paragraph (1) of 
section 331(e) of title 31, United States Code, on a date 
agreed upon by the chairs of the Committees on the Budg-
et of the House of Representatives and the Senate (here-
after referred to as the ‘‘Budget Committees’’) and the 
Comptroller General of the United States, the chairs shall 
conduct a joint hearing to receive a presentation from the 
Comptroller General reviewing the findings of the audit 
required under paragraph (2) of such section and pro-
viding, with respect to the information included by the 
Secretary in the report accompanying such audited finan-
cial statement, an analysis of the financial position and 
condition of the Federal Government, including financial 
measures (such as the net operating cost, income, budget 
deficits, or budget surpluses) and sustainability measures 
(such as the long-term fiscal projection or social insurance 
projection) described in such report. 
(b) PRESENTATION OF STATEMENT IN ACCORDANCE 
WITH GAO STRATEGIES AND MEANS.—The Comptroller 
General of the United States shall ensure that the presen-
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tation at the joint hearing conducted under subsection (a) 
is made in accordance with the Strategies and Means of 
the Government Accountability Office, so that the presen-
tation will provide professional, objective, fact-based, non-
partisan, nonideological, fair, and balanced information to 
the members attending the hearing. 
(c) RULES APPLICABLE TO HEARING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The joint hearing conducted 
by the chairs of Budget Committees under sub-
section (a) shall be conducted in accordance with the 
Rules of the House of Representatives and the appli-
cable Standing Rules of the Senate which apply to 
such a hearing, including the provisions requiring 
hearings conducted by committees to be open to the 
public, including to radio, television, and still pho-
tography coverage. 
(2) PERMITTING PARTICIPATION BY SENATORS 
AND MEMBERS NOT SERVING ON BUDGET COMMIT-
TEES.—Notwithstanding any provision of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives or the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, any Senator and any Member 
of the House of Representatives (including a Dele-
gate or Resident Commissioner to the Congress) 
may participate in the joint hearing in the same 
manner and to the same extent as a Senator or 
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Member of the House of Representatives who is a 
member of either of the Budget Committees. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The requirement under sub-
section (a) shall apply with respect to any audited finan-
cial statement submitted on or after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Æ 
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