This Week Is Waste – July 24, 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.
CAGW Reply Comments to FCC Regarding Know Your Customer Proceeding
On July 24, 2026, CAGW filed reply comments to the Federal Communications Commission regarding the agency’s Know Your Customer Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking initiated to combat the increasing number of robocalls. Read more here.
Treasury Buries Payments to the Deceased
The Department of the Treasury announced on July 21, 2026, that the agency had prevented $99 million in taxpayer funds from going to deceased individuals. This taxpayer victory became possible thanks to implementation of a new government-wide payment verification system, which builds on Treasury’s expanded access to the full Social Security Administration Death Master File, long advocated for by CAGW. Read more here.
Prescription Information Needs to Be Modernized
In 1962, regulations were adopted by the Food and Drug Administration requiring drug manufacturers to disseminate prescribing information to pharmacists and healthcare providers on paper. Although healthcare has modernized and uses electronic information in other areas, manufacturers are still required to send this information on paper. The transmission of prescribing information is stuck in the 1960s. Congress should pass the Prescription Information Modernization Act and finally bring this process into the 21st century to ensure that pharmacists and healthcare providers receive this important information immediately rather than much, much later. Read more here.
Congress Should Slay These Zombie Programs
“Zombie” programs consume taxpayer dollars long after their congressional authorizations have expired. Council for Citizens Against Government Waste urged lawmakers to enact the Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act, which would require regular congressional review of federal programs and gradually eliminate funding for those that are not reauthorized, helping restore accountability and prevent billions of dollars in wasteful spending. Read more here.
The Exceptional Members Backing Accountability in Federal Spending
On July 10, 2026, a bipartisan group of 34 representatives and senators, led by Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in support of a proposed rule to increase oversight and accountability of the federal grantmaking process. The letter states, that “the federal government distributes trillions of dollars in grants and financial assistance,” and that the OMB has “clear legal authority to deny federal funding in support of projects” and should be commended for ensuring that the disbursement of taxpayer dollars is consistent with the Constitution and federal law. Read more here.
Further Consolidating DOT Office Space Could Save Hundreds of Millions of Dollars
A July 15, 2026, Government Accountability Office report found that 89 percent, or 168 out of 189 Department of Transportation office buildings failed to meet the federal government’s 60 percent occupancy benchmark, leaving taxpayers with a $370 million annual bill for rental, operations, and maintenance costs for underutilized facilities. Read more here.
HHS Defers More Than $1 Billion in Medicaid Payments to California, Minnesota Pending Review of High-Risk Claims in Crackdown on Fraud
On July 21, 2026, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services deferred $867.5 million in Medicaid payments to California and $199 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota after reviews identified high-risk claims requiring additional documentation. Read more here.
In Search of Fraud, Huffines Plans to Shift Auditors at Texas Comptroller’s Office from Auditing Businesses to Government
Texas Comptroller-designate Don Huffines has promised to shift some state auditors from evaluating tax compliance to reviewing state and federal government programs and increase the number of office auditors to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. Read more here.
Lack of Oversight Led to State Issuing SNAP, Other Benefits to Inmates, a Lottery Winner
A July 15, 2026, Maryland Office of Legislative Audits report found that the state’s Department of Human Services failed to verify eligibility for taxpayer-funded assistance programs between June 1, 2021, and February 28, 2025, resulting in $9,000 in public benefits going to a $2 million lottery winner and at least 1,858 instances of public benefits being received by ineligible prison inmates. Read more here.
