Exposing Washington’s spending problem

By Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Washington has a spending problem, and hardworking Iowans are paying the price. Time and time again, we see government projects balloon billions over budget and drag years behind schedule, with no accountability. That’s why I’ve introduced the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act with Senator Joni Ernst — to force transparency on these costly failures and ensure taxpayers know exactly where their money is going.

Our bill requires the federal government to publicly disclose any taxpayer-funded project that is at least $1 billion over budget or five years behind schedule. This includes everything from defense acquisitions to infrastructure, construction, and cleanup efforts. With the national debt surpassing $36 trillion, Americans deserve to know when and why their money is being wasted.

Consider just a few examples:

• The California rail project — costing taxpayers $1.8 million per day, yet after years of delays, no tracks have been laid. The original $33 billion price tag has now skyrocketed to $128 billion.
• The U.S. Postal Service’s electric vehicle project — a $10 billion taxpayer-funded program to modernize the fleet. Three years after the initial order, fewer than 100 of the 50,000 vehicles have been delivered.
• NASA’s return to the moon — a program that is $6 billion over budget and delayed due to mismanagement and poor contractor performance.

Iowans work hard to make every dollar count. They expect their elected leaders to do the same. But unelected Washington bureaucrats continue to waste taxpayer dollars on mismanaged projects with no consequences. That’s why I joined the bipartisan DOGE Caucus and am working to rein in wasteful spending and demand results.

Transparency is the first step toward accountability. By exposing these billion-dollar failures, taxpayer dollars can be spent wisely, and government projects can be completed efficiently. Washington must learn to live within its means, just like American families and businesses do every day. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that wasteful spending is brought to light and that every dollar is spent responsibly.