Watchdog group rebrands after 30 years

A long-running Washington watchdog group that closely tracks federal regulations is getting a new name.  

OMB Watch will now be known as the Center for Effective Government, the group announced Monday. Katherine McFate, the group’s president and CEO, said the new moniker is a better reflection of their work. 

“Center for Effective Government better reflects the overall goal of our work and the breadth of the issues we cover. It makes clear our commitment to promoting the idea that 'government matters' and that an effective, responsive, accountable government is fundamental to restoring public trust in democracy and to achieving a more just, sustainable, inclusive economy,” McFate said in a statement.

Founded in 1983 as OMB Watch by Gary Bass, the group initially focused on the Office of Management and Budget under the Reagan administration. Bass and others worked to show how the agency was moving regulations through the federal government and hoped to provide more transparency on the process.

Since then, the watchdog’s work has expanded. The group helps lead the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards, which has pushed back against moves in Congress to slow down regulations.

“We believe our new name will help us better communicate the work we do and why it is important. We are eager to help all Americans better understand what government does and why public investments are critical to ensuring a decent quality of life for future generations of Americans,” McFate said.

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