The Associated Press reports that a stunning $98 BILLION in taxpayer money was WASTED by the federal government during the 2009 fiscal year (which ended in October). This is an increase of $26 billion over last year. Government has grown so big federal agencies can't keep their books balanced. Roughly $36 billion of the total is due to questionable Medicare payments alone.
Among the reported waste, according to AP:
Agriculture: $4.3 billion in improper payments, or 5.9 percent of total department spending. Much of it was in the food stamp, federal crop insurance and school meals programs.
Defense: $849 million, or 0.5 percent.
Education: $599 million, or 2.1 percent.
Health and Human Services: $55.1 billion, or 9.4 percent. That included improper payment rates of 7.8 percent and 15.4 percent in the Medicare fee for service and Advantage programs, respectively...
Once again, lawmakers' infamous "pet projects" or "earmarks" are pulling taxpayer funds away from projects of national importance.
A study released by the Center for Defense Information found that $2.6 billion intended to purchase military guns, ammunition and training will instead be used to fund projects such as a new institute named after the late Ted Kennedy.
Senators diverted $2.6 billion in funds in a defense spending bill to pet projects largely at the expense of accounts that pay for fuel, ammunition and training for U.S. troops, including those fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an analysis...
Tonight the Senate will cast its first vote after returning from the August recess. If this recess has proved anything it is that citizens around the country are fed-up with bailouts, out of control spending, and Washington meddling.
Sadly the first vote tonight will be on legislation that embodies all that is wrong with Washington. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will again attempt to invoke cloture on S. 1023, the Travel Promotion Act. There are many reasons the Senate should reject this bill. Here are the Top 10:
Another czar? This bill creates a tourism czar. Does the federal government really need another bureaucrat telling American business how to run its affairs?
The bill sends exactly the wrong message to foreign visitors. To make America more inviting it makes visitors' trips to the United States more expensive by charging them new entry fees.
After having most of the past month to work back in the state, Sen. DeMint is back in Washington, D.C. this week with the rest of his colleagues to continue their work in the Senate. This week the Senate tackles the Travel Promotion Act -- a bill that provides a bailout for companies involved in tourism. Yesterday, the Washington Post printed an op-ed written by the senator regarding the bill and his reasons for opposing it:
After a month of the American people voicing unrelenting outrage to their elected representatives about the level of spending, debt and government intervention in their lives, a beleaguered and unpopular congressional majority returns to its haven of Washington this week. Incredibly, the first item on the Senate agenda is a bill to create a new and unnecessary government tourism advertising agency. Call it Fannie Travel.
The $400 million Travel Promotion Fund, set to be created if the Senate passes the Travel Promotion Act (TPA) this week, is perhaps the perfect illustration of the disconnect between the American people and their representatives in Washington.
Yesterday, Sen. DeMint appeared on "FOX News Sunday" with Chris Wallace to debate Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) on the Democrats' plans for a government health care takeover and the already bankrupt "Cash for Clunkers" program.
Sen. DeMint appeared on FOX Business yesterday with financial guru Dave Ramsey, saying that Washington, D.C.'s spending and debt is out of control. You can find a transcript of the interview here:
Sen. DeMint appeared on FOX News with Greta Van Susteren yesterday, pointing out that the recovery act was nothing but a liberal government spending plan that hasn't yielded President Obama's promised results. You can find a transcript of the interview here.
On Monday Sen. DeMint was blocked by Senate Democrat Leadership from having a vote on his amendment to audit the Federal Reserve. His amendment is based on a bill authored by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) in the House, H.R. 1207, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the Senate, S. 604.
