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Step Outside the MOX

February 06, 2013 | National Security

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

Even More Options for Cutting Crop Insurance Costs

February 05, 2013 | Agriculture

Even More Options for Cutting Crop Insurance Costs Defenders of agricultural subsidies at all costs are starting to feel the heat. Yesterday, professors from Ohio State University,... Read More

Heard On The Hill: Support TCS Today

February 05, 2013 | Budget & Tax

Heard On The Hill: Support TCS Today Dear Fellow Taxpayer, I wanted you to know you’re getting your money’s worth. Earlier today I testified before the House Committee on... Read More

Alexander to testify before Government Reform Committee today

February 01, 2013 | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander will be testifying before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on... Read More

Sandy Spending Accountability

Sandy Spending Accountability With the Senate's 62-36 vote, lawmakers have sent in aggregate more than $60 billion to help those affected by Superstorm Sandy. You can... Read More

Defense Authorization Bill: More Money, Less Savings

December 21, 2012 | National Security

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

Golden Fleece Awarded to Agriculture Risk Management Agency

December 13, 2012 | Agriculture

Golden Fleece Awarded to Agriculture Risk Management Agency TCS awarded the Golden Fleece to USDA's Risk Management Agency for wasting taxpayer funds... Read More

TCS Cited in Bipartisan Congressional Letter on Defense Savings

December 10, 2012 | National Security

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

TCS Supports Extending Whistleblower Protections

November 30, 2012 | National Security

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

Letter to Congress: Oppose Any Fiscal Cliff Farm Bill Deal

November 29, 2012 | Agriculture

Letter to Congress: Oppose Any Fiscal Cliff Farm Bill Deal Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Congress urging members to reject passing a nearly trillion-dollar farm bill in the lame duck session.... Read More

The Department of Everything

November 15, 2012 | National Security

The Department of Everything We love to remind people that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is the world’s largest bureaucracy, employing more than the world’s... Read More

DOD Acquisition Reforms: Spending Money is Hard!

November 13, 2012 | National Security

“It turns out acquisition reform is hard,” said Undersecretary of Defense Frank Kendall at yesterday’s rollout of the Defense... Read More

President Ms. Ryan Alexander Sliding Past Sequestration Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 1, 2012 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis 202-546-8500 x126 or steve@taxpayer.net Taxpayers for Common Sense... Read More

Letter to the Speaker: Washington Cannot Make It Rain

September 14, 2012 | Agriculture

Letter to the Speaker: Washington Cannot Make It Rain Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to Speaker Boehner to oppose $1 trillion worth of bad agriculture policy.... Read More

TCS Statement on Amendment to Freeze Pentagon Budget

July 19, 2012 | Budget & Tax , National Security

TCS Statement on Amendment to Freeze Pentagon Budget The following is a written statement by Ms. Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the adoption of the Frank-Mulvaney... Read More

Oppose House Farm Bill Draft: Fails to Reform; Creates New Subsidy Entitlement Programs

July 09, 2012 | Agriculture

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined together with several groups today urging Congress to oppose the House of Representative's Draft Farm... Read More

Letter to Senate: Support Reforms in the Flawed Farm Bill

June 18, 2012 | Agriculture

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the Senate today, urging support for common sense reforms in the Farm Bill. These... Read More

End USEC Giveaways in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

June 04, 2012 | Budget & Tax , Energy

Congress is considering spending $100 million on the United States Enrichment Corporation’s (USEC) Piketon, Ohio enrichment project... Read More

Defense Authorization Antics Begin

May 24, 2012 | National Security

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is the largest policy bill directing the nation’s annual spending, accounting for some $650... Read More

House Backdoor Earmarks $150 million for Parochial Boondoggle

This morning the House voted down an amendment that would have stripped the $150 million added to the National Defense Authorization Act for the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC). ... Read More

Stop $150 million for troubled uranium project in NDAA

$150 million for the United States Enrichment Corporation's (USEC) Piketon, Ohio enrichment facility has been added to the National... Read More

Golden Fleece Awarded to Riverboat Ripoff

Golden Fleece Awarded to Riverboat Ripoff             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2012 CONTACTS: Steve Ellis, Taxpayers for... Read More

Statement from TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on the House Republican Budget Resolution

March 19, 2012 | Budget & Tax

The following is a statement by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on the House Republican Budget... Read More

TCS Statement on Senate Adoption of “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” (MAP-21)

The following is a statement by Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense, on S. 1813, "Moving Ahead for Progress in the... Read More

Letter to Congress: St. Croix Crossing Is a Bridge Too Far

February 27, 2012 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee urging them to oppose... Read More

Coalition Letter Urges Congress to Reject Linking Drilling Revenues to the Highway Trust Fund, Preserve User-Pays

February 13, 2012 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Reason Foundation, National Taxpayers Union, and Natural Resources Defense... Read More

FutureGen Behind Schedule: What’s Happening to Taxpayers’ Billion Dollars?

February 09, 2012 | Energy

Despite a billion dollar taxpayer investment and years of commitment by the Department of Energy (DOE), in a United States Energy... Read More

FAA Reauthorization: EAS reforms fail taxpayers

February 03, 2012 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to members of Congress as they consider legislation on FAA... Read More

FAA Reauthorization Should Include EAS Reforms

January 31, 2012 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to House and Senate conferees before they meet today to negotiate differences between... Read More

TCS Joins Coalition Against Wasteful Army Corps of Engineer’s Deepening Delaware River Project

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined the Delaware Riverkeeper and Water Protection Network to compile a report analyzing the wasteful Army... Read More

Plenty of Money Moving Around Defense Authorization Bill

December 14, 2011 | National Security

Plenty of Money Moving Around Defense Authorization Bill Followers of the annual National Defense Authorization Act will recall the kerfuffle that occurred earlier this year after lawmakers in... Read More

Letter and Briefing on the Wasteful, Expiring $6 Billion Ethanol Subsidy

December 12, 2011 | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense worked with Congressional allies to get 73 Representatives to sign a letter last week asking Speaker of the... Read More

Just Say No to Stillwater Bridge

November 09, 2011 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Commitee in advance of its markup of S. 1134... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing Passing Farm Bill Through Super Committee

November 02, 2011 | Agriculture

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a coalition on a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, asking them to not... Read More

Congressmen Support Common Sense Cuts to Wasteful Ag Spending

October 20, 2011 | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent a letter this week to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction--i.e.... Read More

It’s Time to Rethink the Stillwater Bridge

October 04, 2011 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the House Natural Resources Commitee in advance of its markup of a related bill, H.R.... Read More

Support FAA Extension, Reform the Essential Air Service

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the Senate, encouraging it to pass H.R. 2553, which would reform the wasteful... Read More

Stillwater Bridge Proposal is Too Big, Too Costly for Nation’s Taxpayers

Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Commitee, explaining why the Stillwater Bridge... Read More

Analyzing the House Transportation Proposal

Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure John Mica (R-FL) released a summary of his transportation... Read More

Senate Energy Committee Needs to Stop the Clean Energy Deployment Administration

July 10, 2011 | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined with other groups urging Congress to save taxpayers from footing the bill for billions in risky loans by not creating the Clean Energy Deployment Administration.... Read More

Anchorage Sues FHWA to Stop Knik Arm Crossing

The Municipality of Anchorage (Alaska) filed suit in U.S. District Court challenging the Federal Highway Administration’s approval of the... Read More

Coalition letter in support of Reps. Herger and Crowley bill to end 30 years of tax credits to the E

June 27, 2011 |

Today, a diverse coalition of groups including Taxpayers for Common Sense released a letter to Representatives Herger (R-CA) and Crowley (D-NY), expressing strong support for their bill, the Ethanol Subsidy Repeal Act, which would end more than 30 years of tax credits to the ethanol industry. The Act would save taxpayers several billion dollars this year alone, with no impact to the ethanol industry.... Read More

TCS National Security Spending Update: Spending Big on Services

June 23, 2011 | National Security

The Senate Armed Services Committee released the report for the FY2012 National Defense Authorization Act on Friday, and though it will... Read More

Support Amendments to Stop Wasteful Ag Spending

June 15, 2011 | Agriculture , Budget & Tax

Support Amendments to Stop Wasteful Ag Spending Taxpayers for Common Sense Action sent a letter yesterday to the House of Representatives, asking for their support on a variety of common sense amendments that will save money and end wasteful payments and programs. ... Read More

Coalition Letter Supporting Ending Wasteful $6 Billion Annual Ethanol Subsidy

June 12, 2011 | Budget & Tax , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense joined a broad and diverse coalition supporting Senators Coburn (R-OK), Feinstein (D-CA), and McCain (R-AZ) and their amendments this week which will end the $6 billion annual, taxpayer-funded subsidies for conventional ethanol which go to Big Oil when they blend ethanol with gasoline. ... Read More

TCS Releases Report on Largest Ethanol Subsidy

June 08, 2011 | Budget & Tax , Energy

Today Taxpayers for Common Sense released a comprehensive report on the largest subsidy to corn ethanol, the Volumetric Ethanol Excise... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing Clean Energy Deployment Administration

May 25, 2011 | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense and a coalition of groups sent a letter to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee calling for them to oppose the Clean Energy Deployment Administration.... Read More

Federal taxpayers railroaded? New report says California’s rail project needs an overhaul

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently announced an additional $2 billion in grant money for developing high speed rail (HSR)... Read More

Coalition Letter Opposing Wasteful Mississippi River Locks

Taxpayers for Common Sense recently joined other Nicollet Island Coalition members on a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers detailing how new locks on the Upper Mississippi are economically unjustified.... Read More

Budget Gimmicks in FY11 Defense Bill

April 14, 2011 | National Security

Washington is abuzz with talk of the deficit-reduction plan President Obama announced Wednesday, mostly along the lines of “wait, what... Read More

Taxpayer Letter to the Senate: End Ethanol Tax Credit

March 28, 2011 | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense sent a letter to senators today urging them to support efforts to immediately end spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a wasteful tax credit that was set to expire last year. Read our letter below and contact your senators to ask for their support on this common sense taxpayer-friendly amendment. ... Read More

TCS Statement on the JSF Alternate Engine Cancellation

March 23, 2011 | National Security

Statement by TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on the announcement the Defense Department issued a stop-work order on the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine program.... Read More

Coalition Letter to Congress Calls for an End to Energy Subsidies

March 17, 2011 | Budget & Tax , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with a coalition of nearly 30 groups sent a letter to Congress calling for an end to energy... Read More

Broad Coalition Supports Senators Efforts to End VEETC

March 11, 2011 | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense alongside a broad and diverse coalition of groups sent a letter supporting the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax... Read More

TCS Testifies at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

March 03, 2011 | Agriculture , Budget & Tax , Energy

On March 3, 2011 Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander testified at a House Committee on Oversight and Government reform... Read More

Broad Coalition Calls for the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit to Expire

March 01, 2011 | Agriculture , Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense along with 90 other organizations and associations delivered a letter to Congressional leaders on Tuesday... Read More

Energy Committee Questions DOE on Budget

February 18, 2011 | Budget & Tax , Energy

Senate Energy Committee’s Hearing on the President’s FY2012 Budget Request Earlier this week the President released his budget request... Read More

Ongoing Analysis of Debate Over FY11 Continuing Resolution

February 16, 2011 | Budget & Tax , Energy , National Security

The House of Representatives is debating a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government for the rest of fiscal year 2011 (through... Read More

UPDATE: Gates Shifts Defense Dollars

January 06, 2011 | National Security

Defense Secretary Robert Gates today gave what was billed as one of the longest speeches in his current job, defining the battlefield for... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Statement on the Defense Cuts Announced by Sec. Robert Gates

January 06, 2011 | National Security

Please find below a statement from Ms. Ryan Alexander, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense on the defense cuts announced today by... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Op-Ed: The Appropriations Pork Machine (The New York Times)

January 02, 2011 | Budget & Tax

Ryan Alexander is president of Taxpayers for Common Sense. The early indicators of what to expect from the 112th Congress in terms of... Read More

Diverse Coalition Calls for Congress to End the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC)

November 29, 2010 | Energy

Taxpayers for Common Sense, together with a diverse coalition of 58 groups, sent a letter to congressional leaders today urging them to... Read More

President Pumps up Nuke Budget Again

November 18, 2010 | National Security

The White House released a plan yesterday to pump up their investment in the United States’ nuclear weapons complex by another $4.1... Read More

As the Armed Services Committee Turns

November 03, 2010 | National Security

Now that the final ballots have come in, it’s time to assess the impact the midterms will have on the Congressional committees that... Read More

GAO Report Slams DHS Management of SBInet Contractor

October 18, 2010 | National Security

  The Department of Homeland Security did not effectively manage or oversee the prime contractor on its over-budget, behind-schedule... Read More

VA Senators Author Amendment to Stop JFCOM Closure

September 27, 2010 | National Security

Democratic Virginia Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner said today they will introduce an amendment to the FY2012 defense authorization... Read More

Gates Mandates Affordability in Defense Spending

September 14, 2010 | National Security

 Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday unveiled details of his effort to overhaul procurement processes, just ahead of Senate markups... Read More

New Report Urges Comprehensive Security Spending

August 11, 2010 | National Security

A bipartisan group of national security experts including Taxpayers for Common Sense today released a report calling for a budget that... Read More

TCS on Gates Defense Reforms: One Small Step Forward

August 10, 2010 | National Security

Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ new belt-tightening initiatives at the Department of Defense are a positive step forward. But much more... Read More

FutureGen: Massive Clean Coal Project Changes Track, Still Securing $1 Billion Earmarked in the Stimulus

August 04, 2010 | Earmarks & Appropriations , Energy

Today, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the plan to build “FutureGen” a massive commercial “clean coal” facility in Mattoon,... Read More

TCS Action: Support Key Provisions and Strengthening Amendments to the CLEAR Act; Oppose Weakening Amendments

July 13, 2010 | Energy , Natural Resources

On Wednesday June 14, The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to debate and vote on the Consolidated Land, Energy, and... Read More

House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Mark-Up Delayed

June 23, 2010 | Energy

Today the House Committee on Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee was scheduled to hold the first mark-up on a Fiscal Year... Read More

Faulty Virtual Fence Could Cost Taxpayers $8 Billion

June 20, 2010 | National Security

A recent hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee on SBInet, Boeing’s borderland “virtual fence” that has failed to function... Read More

New Report Urges Pentagon Role in Deficit Reduction

June 10, 2010 | National Security

Today, the Sustainable Defense Task Force held a press conference at the Capitol Visitors Center releasing a report identifying roughly $1 trillion in Pentagon budget savings over the next ten years. ... Read More

TCS President Ryan Alexander Op-Ed: Why two jets are not better than one (Politico)

May 25, 2010 | National Security

 Today, President Ryan Alexander issued an Op-Ed to Politico.com regarding the recent $485 million alternate engine addition by the House... Read More

DOD Audit Still Nowhere in Sight

May 09, 2010 | National Security

The Defense Department yesterday turned over to Congress an update on its attempts to pass an audit. Though Congress mandated audits back... Read More

Taxpayers Must Not Carry Water for Bad Projects: Comments on the Draft Principles and Standards for Water Resource Projects

Taxpayers for Common Sense submitted comments to the Federal Register concerning revisions to how the nation's water resources are... Read More

TCS Supports New OMB Contracting Guidance

March 31, 2010 | National Security

The White House took an important step this week toward rolling back one of the most pernicious pieces of contracting law on the federal... Read More

TCS Action Letter: OPIC - Stop Corporate Welfare

March 24, 2010 | Budget & Tax

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense Action released a letter to the House urging support for legislation introduced by Representatives... Read More

Gates: Defense Cuts Saved Taxpayers $330 Billion

March 23, 2010 | National Security

Eliminating wasteful defense programs like the F-22 Raptor last year saved taxpayers $330 billion, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said... Read More

TCS Statement on SBInet’s Funding Freeze

March 19, 2010 | National Security

Below is a comment from TCS President Ms. Ryan Alexander on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s announcement that she will... Read More

Representatives Murphy and Garrett Introduce Bill to End the Wasteful Market Access Program

February 25, 2010 | Agriculture

Today TCS Action released a letter to Congress supporting H.R. 4683, the Scrap the MAP Act. The legislation is co-sponsored by... Read More

FY11 Budget Cuts Agriculture Waste

February 10, 2010 | Agriculture , Earmarks & Appropriations

The President’s proposed FY2011 Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget is $25.8 billion, slightly reduced from the FY2010 level of $26.9... Read More

FY2011 Budget Request: President Terminates Yucca Mountain, Increases Funding for Other Nuclear Projects

February 01, 2010 | Energy

The President’s budget ends funding for the Yucca Mountain project, which was intended to be a permanent nuclear waste disposal site.... Read More

Coal to Liquids: A Costly Gamble

December 07, 2009 | Energy

Discovered by German scientists during World War II, the Fischer-Tropsch process – referred to by the Department of Energy as... Read More

Troop Surge Dollars Must be Watched

December 03, 2009 | National Security

Since President Obama announced a 30,000 troop buildup for Afghanistan Tuesday, everyone is asking the inevitable question: How much is... Read More

Dollars Fly Overseas to Military Bases

November 12, 2009 | National Security

The annual military construction spending bill is not generally a big deal for Congress, which treats it as an opportunity to fund gyms... Read More

A Billion Here A Billion There

September 17, 2009 | Budget & Tax

Taxpayers received a bit of good news this morning.  The Treasury Department announced it will be letting the Guarantee Program for Money... Read More

More than 161,000 Abandoned Mines in the West

August 13, 2009 | Natural Resources

A recent GAO report found that there are at least 161,000 abandoned mines in western states. The research, conducted in the states of... Read More

TCS Letter to Congress on Salmon Solutions and Planning Act

July 31, 2009 | Natural Resources

This week TCS released a letter to Congress supporting the Salmon Solutions and Planning Act. The legislation was introduced by... Read More

House Opportunity to Shoot Down Funding for Defense Contractor Raided by FBI

There are several amendments on the House Defense spending bill that is on the floor this morning. In addition to the important earmark... Read More

Contracts for Synthetic Fuels not Included in Senate Defense Bill

July 23, 2009 | Energy

Late last night the Senate completed their work on the Defense Authorization bill, S. 1390.  The bill passed with an overwhelming... Read More

TCS Statement on the Senate’s F-22 Cut

July 23, 2009 | Budget & Tax , National Security

The following is a statement by Taxpayers for Common Sense President Ryan Alexander on the 58-40 Senate vote to eliminate additional... Read More

TCS Urges Senate to Oppose Amendments for Costly Synthetic Fuels

July 22, 2009 | Energy

This week the Senate is considering the Defense Authorization bill, S. 1390. Several Senators have offered amendments regarding the use of... Read More

Hearing on Alaska Native Corporations Probes Wasteful Spending

July 21, 2009 | National Security

A July 16 hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight on federal procurement... Read More

UPDATE: Senate Strips F-22s From Defense Authorization Bill

July 20, 2009 | National Security

(July 21) The Senate today took a small step for Pentagon reform and a giant step for fiscal sanity when it voted 58-40 to approve the... Read More

House Appropriators Reject Weapons Cuts

July 15, 2009 | National Security

The House Defense Appropriations Subcommitte today set the tone for the upcoming debate over Congresses’ biggest spending bill. Following... Read More

TCS Holds Congressional Briefing on Defense Spending

July 14, 2009 | National Security

Taxpayers for Common Sense sponsored a briefing for House of Representatives members and staffers Wednesday, July 15, titled Defense... Read More

TCS and NTU to House: Don’t Fund F-22

July 14, 2009 | National Security

Today, Taxpayers for Common Sense and the National Taxpayers Union sent a joint letter to all members of the House of Representatives... Read More

Oversight and Government Reform Hearing on the V-22 Osprey

June 25, 2009 | National Security

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing Tuesday on the future of the V-22 Osprey, an aircraft with a... Read More

Obama Waves Veto Pen at Wasteful Fighter Jet

June 24, 2009 | Budget & Tax , National Security

President Obama came out swinging yesterday, issuing the first veto threat of his presidency to tackle a congressional sacred cow... Read More

Senate Energy Committee Passes American Clean Energy Leadership Act

June 16, 2009 | Energy

Today, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources completed work on the American Clean Energy Leadership Act (ACELA), passing... Read More

Nuclear Weapons: Transformation or Business As Usual?

June 04, 2009 | National Security

Two Senate hearings on nuclear weapons this week showed that the Obama administration’s charge toward a smaller—and hopefully... Read More

Knik Arm Crossing Gets Another Cost Estimate

February 11, 2009 | Transportation & Infrastructure

An independent cost estimate puts the price tag for the Knik Arm Crossing—a.k.a. Don Young’s Way—in Anchorage, Alaska at $686 million... Read More

Bank Bailout: GAO to Treasury Department - More Effort Needed

January 30, 2009 | Budget & Tax

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has just released its second report on the progress of the Treasury Department’s in... Read More

National Geographic To Air Government-Funded Homeland Security Special

January 28, 2009 | National Security

A friend of Taxpayers for Common Sense in Maine just alerted us to something very interesting. Tonight, National Geographic is going to... Read More

Evaluating Economic Stimulus Legislation

January 27, 2009 | Budget & Tax

The House of Representatives is expected Wednesday to vote on an economic stimulus package, H.R. 1, the ‘‘American Recovery and... Read More

Stimulus Adds to Stratospheric Satellite Costs

January 23, 2009 | National Security

Despite energetic lobbying by the defense industry (and some lawmakers) the $825 billion stimulus bill now emerging from committee... Read More

Are Bailout Banks Lending Money?

January 14, 2009 | Budget & Tax

This morning, The New York Times published an excellent story about some of the problems with the financial sector bailout – the Troubled... Read More

Stimulus Not Needed for Department of Defense

January 06, 2009 | National Security

Of all the industries in line for a handout in this financially frightening time, the defense industry would seem to bring up the rear.... Read More

Capitol Visitor Center Still Not Completed

December 23, 2008 | Budget & Tax

Hundreds of millions of dollars overbudget, four years overdue and the Capitol Visitor Center is still not finished. Although... Read More

New Reports Document Wasteful War Spending

December 16, 2008 | National Security

Just in time for a new war funding request to hit Capitol Hill, a trio of recently released documents recall just how badly the Pentagon... Read More

What $24 Million Gets These Days

December 15, 2008 | Earmarks & Appropriations

The controversial National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), located in a former department store in the congressional district of Rep.... Read More

Auto Bailout Draft Legislation

December 08, 2008 | Budget & Tax

TCS has obtained a draft copy of the auto bailout legislation. Read the text here. We just got it and are looking through it, but... Read More

Uncle Sam Should Review Sports Sponsorships by Bailout Banks

November 24, 2008 | Budget & Tax

Under the financial bailout, taxpayers are becoming silent investors in numerous banks and other financial institutions. While Uncle Sam... Read More

The Non-Oversight Cannon

November 10, 2008 | National Security

Last week we told you about a congressman’s efforts to feed the already overstuffed Army modernization program called Future Combat... Read More

Bring Home the Bailout Bucks

November 10, 2008 | Budget & Tax

Got a pen? Taxpayers for Common Sense has obtained the application needed to get a piece of the bailout pie. We’re all for streamlining... Read More

New Report Raises Concerns with Royalty-In-Kind Program

October 28, 2008 | Energy , Natural Resources

A report released today by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concludes that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is at risk of... Read More

Gates: New Nukes Are Good For You and Cheaper Too

October 28, 2008 | National Security

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates fired a preemptive strike against potential cuts to the U.S. nuclear weapons program this week by... Read More

Stevens Trial: Senator Takes Stand in Own Defense

October 16, 2008 | Earmarks & Appropriations

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), on trial for failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of gifts from Veco Corporation and its former... Read More

TCS Action Letter to the Senate on Defense Authorization Bill

September 14, 2008 | Energy , National Security

The following is a letter from Taxpayers for Common Sense Action prior to upcoming Senate vote on the Defense Authorization Bill for... Read More

DHS Needs to Slow Down, Rethink Fencing Future

September 11, 2008 | National Security

The Department of Homeland Security blames its doubled cost estimates for the border fence on pricey fuel, labor and materials. But it’s... Read More

GAO: Border Costs Climbing the Fence

September 09, 2008 | National Security

Federal watchdogs confirmed our suspicions today when they revealed that the cost of building a 600+ mile fence along our southern border... Read More

Roadless Rule Struck Down Again

August 12, 2008 | Natural Resources

The so-called roadless rule, promulgated in the final days of the Clinton Administration, has once again been struck down by U.S.... Read More

CBO: $85 Billion for Iraq Contractors

August 11, 2008 | National Security

The Congressional Budget Office today released a report providing some of the most comprehensive estimates we’ve seen to date on the... Read More

Los Alamos’ Insecurity Complex

July 15, 2008 | National Security

Though two of the nation’s largest nuclear labs are no doubt sad to see their patron Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) depart Congress, the... Read More

Marines Advertising on Hummers

July 14, 2008 | National Security

Anyone who has a TV knows the military spends tons of money for recruiting prospective troops into the services. Recently, while watching... Read More

End of a Nuclear Era

July 10, 2008 | National Security

Nuclear weapons labs and the Senator who loves them closed a chapter yesterday when the Senate cut funding for a controversial program to... Read More

GAO Finds Funny Fence Numbers at DHS

June 30, 2008 | National Security

At last, the Department of Homeland Security has given us some idea of what its border fence is going to cost—and it looks like a... Read More

Independent Audit Ordered for Bridge to Nowhere

The Anchorage Daily News reports today that the state of Alaska will ask for an independent cost estimate of the Knik Arm bridge.  This... Read More

Missile Defense

February 05, 2008 | Budget & Tax , National Security

11:20 a.m. -- The administration’s request included $9 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, the organization within the Defense... Read More

Veto – Channeling Ike on WRDA

November 02, 2007 | Transportation & Infrastructure

It’s a Friday afternoon, but I thought you might be interested in another veto statement from a few years back. The WRDA bill was called... Read More

TCS Requests Ethics Investigation of Coconut Road Earmark

September 26, 2007 | Earmarks & Appropriations

The Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Chairwoman The Honorable Doc Hastings, Ranking Member House Committee on Standards of Official... Read More

Testimony - Federal Crop Insurance Program

May 03, 2007 | Agriculture

Testimony of Steve Ellis, Vice President, Taxpayers for Common Sense before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's hearing on... Read More

North Shore Road

January 12, 2006 | Transportation & Infrastructure

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Swain County), North Carolina Projected Cost to Federal Taxpayers: $604 million January 12,... Read More

TCS Applauds the Elimination of the Alaska Bridges to Nowhere

Washington, D.C. – The following is a written statement from Jill Lancelot, President of Taxpayers for Common Sense: The conferees on... Read More

TCS Testimony: Waste, Fraud and Abuse in U.S. Government Contracting in Iraq

February 14, 2005 | Budget & Tax

Oral Statement of Steve Ellis, Vice President of Programs, Taxpayers for Common Sense before Senate Democratic Policy Committee... Read More

Bulldozed: How Taxpayers Get Leveled by Highway Pork

Despite the call on Capitol Hill for fiscal belt tightening to deal with record deficits, the House has shown an unprecedented hunger for... Read More

Weekly Wastebasket

Our weekly reality-check for federal spending. View All

February 15, 2013

Engineering Boondoggles

While Washington is wringing its hands about the automatic across-the-board budget cuts known as... Read More