River Bend Times

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks and U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, both Republicans from Iowa, have introduced the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act aimed at increasing transparency in government spending. The proposed legislation mandates public disclosure of any federal project exceeding $1 billion over budget or delayed by more than five years.

Miller-Meeks emphasized the Republican commitment to addressing waste, fraud, and abuse. "As Members of Congress, we are entrusted to be stewards of taxpayer dollars and government projects that are excessively costly and delayed must be held to account," she stated. She also highlighted ongoing efforts by former President Trump to prevent wastage of taxpayer money.

Ernst criticized the inefficiency in Washington's handling of large-scale projects. "From moondoggles to off-the-rails projects, Washington can’t seem to ever make the trains run on time or on budget," she remarked. Ernst expressed her intent to halt such financial mismanagement.

Several high-profile government projects were cited as examples of overspending and delays:

- The replacement program for Air Force One is billions over budget and behind schedule.

- A California rail project has seen its costs soar from $33 billion in 2008 to as much as $128 billion today without laying any tracks.

- The U.S. Postal Service's plan to purchase Next Generation Delivery Vehicles faces a significant shortfall with fewer than 100 trucks delivered out of an initial order for 50,000.

- NASA's return mission to the moon is $6 billion over budget due to management issues.

- Renovations at the Federal Reserve have escalated from $1.9 billion in 2019 to nearly $2.5 billion.

The bill aligns with broader GOP initiatives like those led by the DOGE Caucus, which seeks fiscal responsibility through streamlined government operations.

Miller-Meeks has been active in combating government waste as part of the bipartisan DOGE Caucus alongside President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). With national debt surpassing $36 trillion and improper payments totaling $2.7 trillion since 2003 according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), this act aims to shed light on inefficient spending practices.

The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act intends to expose severe cases of governmental mismanagement so that Congress and taxpayers are informed about how funds are allocated.