This Week In Waste – November 13, 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.
The Army Revives and Expands Savings Efforts
The Army kicked off two initiatives to identify savings and test its supply chain for weak points. Based on an idea from the first Trump administration, “night court” has found approximately $100 million in science and technology funding that could be put to better use. The Army is also holding a “Manufacturing Rodeo” in 2027 to stress-test its supply chain and manufacturing processes. Read more here.
Senator Bernie Sanders Pushes New Democratic Congress to Expand Medicare for All
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is urging Democrats to lower Medicare eligibility from 65 to 55, expand dental, vision, and hearing coverage, and provide coverage for children through age 19 as a first step toward universal healthcare. These measures would increase spending by $47 trillion over 10 years and eliminate private healthcare, leading to price controls, rationing, and long waiting lists to see a specialist or have surgery. Read more here.
Wall Street executives should prepare for oversight under Senator Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is expected to intensify scrutiny of private equity and other financial industries when she takes over the Senate Banking Committee, including renewed efforts to advance S. 5512, the Stop Wall Street Looting Act. However, the very people that Sen. Warren claims to be helping by passing this bill, including workers at companies like Dunkin Donuts, Jiffy Lube, and Popeyes, along with retired janitors, teachers, and state and local workers, would all be hurt if her legislation was to become law. Read more here.
Senator Elizabeth Warren’s Plan to Abolish Credit Cards
On November 8, 2026, Sen. Warren shared her plan to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent, which would restrict access to credit and push borrowers with weaker credit histories out of the market and toward more costly alternatives like “pawnshops and loan sharks.” Read more here.
GAO’s Fraud Risk Framework Could Provide Roadmap for Enhancing States’ Subrecipient Oversight
A November 10, 2026, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report identified four recurring weaknesses in state oversight of federal grant subawards: incomplete risk assessments, inadequate monitoring, failure to address audit findings, and inaccurate or missing reports. GAO recommended improving data sharing, automation, standardized reporting, and internal controls to reduce fraud risks and protect taxpayer dollars. Read more here.
