This Week In Waste – April 17, 2026

Welcome to This Week in Waste, a series by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) that highlights how taxpayer dollars are being wasted in the federal, state, and local levels of government and efforts to fight back against this spendthrift behavior.

Boston Tea Party Spirit Lives On in Tax Cuts for Working Families

An April 14, 2026, op-ed in Washington Examiner, co-authored by House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and CAGW President Tom Schatz, discusses how the spirit of liberty and defiance that was demonstrated by the Boston Tea Party is alive today in the Working Families Tax Cuts.  Read more here.

Tariffs on Pharmaceuticals Threaten Jobs and Cures

Imported drugs and drug ingredients mostly come from allies of the U.S. and do not pose a national security risk.  Imposing widespread and damaging tariffs will raise prices for patients, increase production costs, lead to job losses, and reduce access to vital cures and treatment.  Read more here.

More Than 53 Million Filers Find Relief Under the Working Families Tax Cuts

Taxpayers are seeing tangible relief under the Working Families Tax Cuts (WFTC).  The Department of the Treasury reported that as of April 14, 2026, average refunds are exceeding $3,400, 11 percent greater than 2024, and more than 53 million out of 117.8 million filers claimed at least one provision.  Read more here.

Navy Scraps Biden-Era Submarine Contract as Overhaul Costs Surge Toward $3 Billion

The Navy’s decision to scrap the overhaul of the Los Angeles class USS Boise submarine is a welcome decision for taxpayers.  The Pentagon had spent $800 million on a project projected to cost nearly $3 billion for 20 percent of the submarine’s remaining service life.  The savings will be redirected to the construction of the newer Columbia and Virginia-class submarines.  Read more here.