Department of Housing and Urban Development: Violation of Anti-Lobbying Provision and the Antideficiency Act

This testimony discusses our September 9, 2014, opinion concerning the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) use of appropriations to prepare and transmit an e‑mail encouraging members of the public to contact specific senators regarding pending legislation.

In the opinion, we determined that HUD violated an appropriations provision prohibiting the use of appropriated funds for indirect or grassroots lobbying in support of or in opposition to pending legislation.  Because no funds were available for such purpose, HUD’s actions also violated the Antideficiency Act, a fiscal statute central to Congress’s constitutional power of the purse.

For more information, contact Edda Emmanuelli Perez at (202) 512-2583 or EmmanuelliPerezE@gao.gov.