Congress and Federal Agencies Waste Over $1 Trillion of Taxpayer Money in 2024
A recent analysis published by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, reveals that Congress and federal agencies squandered more than $1 trillion of taxpayer money in 2024. This egregious waste of funds has exacerbated the national debt crisis, which now exceeds $36 trillion.
Senator Paul, a staunch advocate for fiscal responsibility, decries the unchecked spending and mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. In his Festivus Report 2024, he highlights how both political parties in Congress approved exorbitant spending bills that included subsidies for failing industries, military aid to Ukraine, and controversial climate initiatives.
One alarming revelation from the report is the federal government’s expenditure of $10 billion on maintaining mostly vacant buildings and over $7 million on frivolous projects labeled as “magical.” The U.S. Department of State emerges as a significant culprit in wasteful spending, allocating millions to various questionable endeavors:
- $5 million on influencers
- $3 million on ‘Girl-Centered Climate Action’ in Brazil
- $2.1 million for Paraguayan Border Security
- Nearly $900,000 for movie production in Jordan
- $500,000 for social media campaigns in Ethiopia
- $345,434 on football engagement against terrorism
- $330,000 to censor conservative media
- Over $250,000 for combating ‘misinformation’ in Bosnia
- $123,000 to teach Kyrgyzstan youth viral tactics
- $108,000 on a non-functional hotel
- $32,500 for breakdancing
Furthermore, wasteful spending extends to agencies like the Department of the Interior, which spent $12 million on a Las Vegas pickleball complex and $720,000 on wetland conservation for Mexican ducks. The Department of Health and Human Services allocated $2 million to study children’s responses to Facebook food ads and nearly $420,000 on a peculiar rat study.
The Department of Energy spent $15.5 billion to promote electric vehicles, while the National Endowment for the Arts funded circus promotions and cabaret shows. The U.S. Treasury Department granted a failed trucking company a $700 million loan, and the National Science Foundation spent thousands on bird watching safety.
It is evident from Senator Paul’s report that taxpayer money is being squandered on frivolous and often nonsensical projects, further burdening American taxpayers and contributing to the escalating national debt crisis. Urgent reforms are necessary to curb wasteful spending and ensure responsible allocation of public funds.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
