This Week In Waste – August 29, 2025
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.
CAGW Names Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) August 2025 Porker of the Month
CAGW named Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) the August 2025 Porker of the Month for requesting $400 million so far in fiscal year (FY) 2026 earmarks, the most of any member of Congress and typical of someone who once earned the “Whole Hog Award” in the Congressional Pig Book. As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Collins is taking the leading role in procuring prolific amounts of pork, including her past earmarks for Maine’s lobster industry and the Portland Museum of Art. Read more here.
President Trump scraps $5 billion in foreign aid in a rare “pocket rescission”
President Trump is using a “pocket rescission” to cancel nearly $5 billion in foreign aid, targeting wasteful spending on costly controversial projects. The decision to use this power is supported by 100 conservative leaders and organizations including CAGW, and is consistent with President Trump’s willingness to take all action necessary to rein in bloated government programs and put American taxpayers first. Read more here.
Improved Permitting Processes Will Streamline Broadband Deployment
The Federal Communications Commission took two important steps to accelerate broadband deployment by adopting a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to modernize the environmental review process and publishing a final rule on removing barriers to infrastructure investment. Complementary efforts to remove barriers to deployment are essential at the state and local government levels. Read more here.
Combating Improper Payments in Federal Spending
Improper payments cost the federal government about $162 billion in FY 2024. Despite four laws since 2002 aimed at reducing such waste, total improper payments since FY 2003 have reached $2.8 trillion. To reduce improper payments, the Government Accountability Office recommended stronger data tools and fraud detection, while bipartisan legislation seeks greater transparency and prevention. Read more here.
Department of Homeland Security slashes billions in government waste
On August 22, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security announced $12 billion in commonsense savings over 200 days. Secretary Kristi Noem personally reviews contracts costing more than $100,000, which led to $10.7 billion of the total savings. Additional savings came from staff reductions and scrapping costly items like $1,300 reheatable coffee cups. Read more here.
Michigan House GOP budget cuts billions in state spending
The Michigan House of Representatives FY 2026 budget cuts $560 million by eliminating 4,300 phantom jobs and redirects $2.5 billion in unused project funds to pay down debt. The new budget also increases Medicaid spending on generic drugs, saving $175 million annually. According to the state legislators, these cuts will fund roads, public safety, and tax relief. Read more here.
