Every two years, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) releases a report listing areas in the federal government it deems are at a high-risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.
Odd Choices in Afghanistan
In late December 2012, the United States Air Force (USAF) did not renew its contract with Alenia Aermacchi, a subsidiary of Italian-based defense contractor Finmeccanica, to refurbish and supply 20 G222s (also known as the C-27A) for the Afghan Air Force (AAF).
Zombie Apocalypse Threatens Taxpayer Dollars, Not Nation’s Security
In December 2012, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) released Safety At Any Price: Assessing the Impact of Homeland Security Spending in U.S. Cities, which focused on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant programs, including the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI). Those who are familiar with Sen. Coburn’s previous work were not surprised by the numerous examples of wasteful spending in the report, such as federal funding for a zombie apocalypse demonstration.
Tanking the Taxpayers
The hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks that Congress has approved for upgrades to the M1 Abrams are so “vital” for national security that the Department of Defense (DOD) has more than 2,000 of the tanks parked in a California desert.
Coburn Report Reveals Waste
During his 17 years as a senator and representative, Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has established himself as a staunch opponent of frivolous federal spending. His annual Wastebook has regularly provided valuable information for taxpayers regarding the specific ways the federal government wastes money. Released in October, Wastebook 2012 highlights 100 projects costing taxpayers more than $18 billion.
Senate Appropriators Whiff on MEADS
Senate appropriators do not appear to have gotten the memo.
F-22 Plagued by Recurrent Problems, Cost, Lack of Mission
On the heels of much-publicized difficulties with the F-22 Raptor’s oxygen system, the Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded Lockheed Martin a $19 million contract to retrofit an automatic oxygen system on 40 of the planes it originally sold to the Air Force.
Transparency Leads to Defunding of MEADS
A little transparency certainly goes a long way.
Potential Savings Exist in MDAP
The current economic climate, record national debt, and automatic cuts to the Department of Defense (DOD) posed by sequestration have placed defense spending on the political front burner. Leaders in Washington, even inside the Pentagon, have stated publicly the dangers of continued deficit spending. On August 26, 2010, Admiral Mike Mullen, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, referred to the national debt as the “single-biggest threat to our national security.”
Potential Savings Exist in DOD Budget
Faced with a historic national debt and a projected $2.2 trillion deficit over the next two years, the country’s leadership is currently grappling with ways to reduce spending. One program which politicians from both sides of the aisle agree should be eliminated is the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS). Created in 1995 to replace aging missile defense systems in the U.S., Germany, and Italy, cost overruns, delays, and underperformance have enveloped MEADS in a cloud of doubt.