WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), released the following statement on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2017 and as a result violated the Antideficiency Act during the installation of a soundproof privacy booth.

“The Government Accountability Office has found that EPA failed to notify Congress before installing this privacy booth,” said Barrasso. “It is critical that EPA and all federal agencies comply with notification requirements to Congress before spending tax payer dollars. EPA must give a full public accounting of this expenditure and explain why the agency thinks it was complying with the law.” 

###