Congresswoman Brown’s Bipartisan SAMOSA Act to Save Taxpayer Dollars on Federal Software Spending Clears Oversight Committee

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Shontel Brown’s bipartisan SAMOSA Act was approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, bringing Congress one step closer to streamlining federal software spending. 

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act requires agencies to conduct comprehensive assessments of their software licensing practices, allowing the federal government to streamline software purchasing and lower unnecessary costs. According to a Senate Committee report, the SAMOSA Act could save taxpayers up to $5 billion annually.

The SAMOSA Act is co-led by Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04), and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (MD-06). Congresswoman Shontel Brown serves as Ranking Member on the Oversight Committee Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation.

Congresswoman Brown’s remarks as delivered during Oversight Committee markup:

I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives Mace, Fallon, and McClain Delaney for joining me in reintroducing the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act. 

The SAMOSA Act may sound complicated, but it is a simple, bipartisan bill that is urgently needed. 

Agencies across the federal government spend around $33 billion in taxpayer dollars on software every year. But right now, many agencies don’t actually have a list of what they own, what they’re fully using, or whether they are buying the same thing twice.  

Our bill creates a straightforward solution. It streamlines how agencies track, manage, and report their software assets by requiring complete assessments on the software paid for, used, or deployed at each agency. This will ensure agencies know exactly what they have, what they need, and where they are overspending. 

The bill requires agencies to submit these assessments to the Office of Management and Budget, General Services Administration, and Congress, so we can provide accountability and confirm agencies are using consistent, modern, and efficient software management practices. 

In other words, this bill will cut waste, allow agencies to negotiate better contracts, and spot vulnerabilities quickly. That means fewer headaches, better security, and real savings for taxpayers—nearly $5 billion every year, according to one Senate Committee. 

This is the kind of common-sense work people sent us here to do. It’s not flashy, and its not partisan. But it is good government – and it is REAL government efficiency.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this common-sense bill.

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act

The U.S. federal government spends billions of dollars every year on purchases, renewals, and software license modifications. However current management and procurement processes do not provide agencies with adequate transparency and often lead to wasteful spending on duplicative purchases. 

To increase agency oversight of software purchasing, improve efficiency, and reduce costs, the SAMOSA Act would require:

• Agencies to create a comprehensive software inventory and undergo an independent assessment of software license management practices and contracts;
• Agency Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to develop a plan to adopt enterprise licensing agreements, improving negotiating power against software vendors, and reduce costs;
• OMB to publish a governmentwide strategy for software modernization based on the aforementioned audits and plans; and
• Agencies to include their respective plans and performance assessments in annual budget submissions.

The SAMOSA Act is supported by the following organizations: The Coalition for Fair Software Licensing, the Computer & Communications Industry Association, NetChoice, and the Alliance for Digital Innovation.

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