Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released its Critical Waste Issues for the 118th Congress. The publication is a concentrated list of some of the most important proposals that CAGW believes will result in a smaller and more efficient government. The budget deficit was $2.8 trillion in fiscal year (FY) 2021, the second largest in history, and $1.4 trillion in FY 2022, the fourth largest in history. The national debt is $31.5 trillion, and the cost of paying the interest on the debt is greater than anticipated due to rising interest rates. There could not be a more critical time for action to reduce government waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, and rein in the size and scope of the federal government.

From budget reform, healthcare, technology, telecommunications, privacy, and defense spending to civil service and regulatory reform, Critical Waste Issues for the 118th Congress details 13 policy areas that require immediate attention, including a chapter on increasing accountability, oversight, and transparency in government. As the new Congress sets its legislative priorities, these recommendations should be considered and implemented.

CAGW President Tom Schatz said, “Since CAGW’s inception in 1984, the organization has been the leading advocate on behalf of taxpayers to reduce government waste. When questions are asked about where spending can be cut, answers can be found in publications like Critical Waste Issues for the 118th Congress. Members of Congress must implement these recommendations after years of runaway spending and government waste. As legislators continue to consider some of the costliest legislation in U.S. history, they must also consider how to restrain unnecessary expenditures. This publication should be required reading for every member of Congress and all taxpayers and serve as a blueprint for reining in out-of-control federal spending.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement, and abuse in government.

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