National SecurityNational Security

Providing for the common defense is a government function enshrined in our constitution. But every defense dollar we spend beyond our needs “has a long-term weakening effect upon the nation and its security,” in the words of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Defense spending accounts for the...More

largest portion of the federal discretionary budget and is packed with contracts for goods and services the military does not even need, let alone want. Congress could find hundreds of billions of dollars in savings by reforming Defense Department contracts, delaying or eliminating costly, problematic weapons systems, and right-sizing our force to handle 21st-century conflicts.

Transparency and accountability for spending decisions at all national security agencies is critical to the task of trimming the federal budget and the national debt. These agencies include the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and State, as well as the Department of Energy’s nuclear-weapons functions.

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All the latest content from TCS in National Security
Letters & Testimony

Step Outside the MOX

February 06, 2013

Step Outside the MOX The Project On Government Oversight and Taxpayers for Common Sense are encouraged by reports of waning support for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) at the Savannah River Site... Read More

Letters & Testimony

Defense Savings Strengthen Our Economic Security

February 06, 2013

Defense Savings Strengthen Our Economic Security February 6, 2013 Dear Member of Congress, On behalf of the undersigned organizations and... Read More

Letters & Testimony

TCS Testifies before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 05, 2013

TCS Testifies before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ryan Alexander testified before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee... Read More

Our Take

Defense Authorization Bill: More Money, Less Savings

December 21, 2012

The Senate today passed the final version of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which, though late, will still beat the... Read More

Letters & Testimony

TCS Cited in Bipartisan Congressional Letter on Defense Savings

December 10, 2012

A group of eleven Democratic and eleven Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to President Obama and... Read More

Letters & Testimony

TCS Supports Extending Whistleblower Protections

November 30, 2012

TCS Supports Extending Whistleblower Protections November 28, 2012 An Open Letter to the Senate in Support of More Protections for Taxpayer Dollars Dear Senator: We the undersigned... Read More

More in-depth material from TCS in National Security
Reports & Data

Sliding Past Sequestration: $2 Trillion in Common Sense Cuts to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff

October 01, 2012

Sliding Past Sequestration: $2 Trillion in Common Sense Cuts to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff In the summer of 2011, Congress sent the President a bill that acknowledged failure. Instead of swallowing hard and coming up with trillions... Read More

Policy Briefs

Analysis of FY13 Continuing Resolution: Special Carve-outs

September 10, 2012

H.J. Res. 117 — Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 was released this morning (9/11/2012). TCS staff will be posting relevant documents and analysis as we digest this proposal over the coming days.... Read More

Fact Sheets

Zombie Earmarks in Defense Spending Bill

July 15, 2012

The Fiscal Year 2013 defense spending bill heading to the House floor Wednesday is a lesson in why it’s so hard to cut defense spending even... Read More

Fact Sheets

MOX Misses the Mark

June 19, 2012

MOX Misses the Mark Despite the ever-increasing price tag, incessant delays in progress, and known safety risks, the Department of Energy continues to pour federal subsidies into the Mixed Oxide Fuel (MOX) program year after year. ... Read More

TCS appearances in the media in National Security

Budget Review: Leading Policy Priorities for Sustained Growth

February 14, 2013 | National Journal

With the release of the House Republican’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget resolution, budgetary issues are roaring back to the front burner. This... Read More

How to Make Democrats and Republicans Agree on a Sequester Deal

February 13, 2013 | U.S. News

As we look ahead to the sequestration set to take effect at the end of the month, we are already hearing the voices from all sides offering... Read More

Truth-O-Meter: Marco Rubio says sequester was Obama’s idea

February 13, 2013 | PolitiFact

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio delivered the Republicans’ response to the State of the Union address, criticizing President Barack Obama on policy... Read More

Defense cuts a necessary step to control deficit

February 13, 2013 | POLITICO

In a couple of weeks we will have a chance to revisit the holidays and immerse ourselves in all things “sequestration.” The deal brokered... Read More

Fiscal reform needs accountability, less agency overlap

February 11, 2013 | Fierce Government

Government fiscal reform needs to come in the form of accountability, prioritizing by need and training if long term success is to be seen,... Read More

Weekly Wastebasket

Our weekly reality-check for federal spending. View All

November 09, 2012

An Open Letter to Congress: Common Sense Needed Now More Than Ever

More than $6 billion and thousands of campaign commercials later, the dust has finally settled on the 2012... Read More