Turn back the clocks to 1914, when the U.S. government considered using blimps as military aircraft. It was the beginning of World War 1, and helium, a nonrenewable resource extracted from natural gas first discovered by French astronomer Pierre Janssen in 1868, had become a hot commodity. As the second-most-abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, the Navy was also attracted to the possibility of using this lighter-than-air gas in military weaponry and devices.
Irregular Order Comes Back
When Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, it established a topline discretionary spending budget, formally known as the 302(a) allocation, for fiscal years (FY) 2014 and 2015. Although there were several negative aspects of the budget compromise, many of which Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) pointed out to members of Congress before they voted on the bill, one of the positive aspects was that it marked the first time since April 29, 2009 that Congress had passed a budget and set the stage for a return to regular order. Unfortunately, as Congress prepares to embark on a five-week legislative recess, it is certain that a normal budget process will not occur this year.
Bureaucratic Quagmire…Leads to Billions Wasted
A July 9, 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that in fiscal year (FY) 2013 federal agencies issued an estimated $105.8 billion in improper payments. The GAO report serves as an alarming example of bureaucratic waste. The puzzling mismanagement of funds encompassed 84 government programs spread across 18 agencies.
Agency Charges Taxpayers for Free Reports
According to its website, The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) seeks to “promote American innovation and economic growth by collecting and disseminating scientific, technical and engineering information to the public and industry, by providing information management solutions to other federal agencies, and by doing all without appropriated funding.” However, with the advent of the internet, […]
Highway Trust Fund Nearing the End of the Road
The Highway Trust Fund is a transportation fund financed by an 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax extracted from drivers every time they fill their tank. The tax proceeds are then used to fund work on the country’s rails, bridges, and roadways. Unfortunately, according to a June 2014 CBO report, during the last decade “outlays […]
Regulatory Funny Business
The normal federal agency rulemaking process begins with the issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking, followed by a notice and comment period. The public and parties impacted by the regulation usually have at least 30 to 60 days to review the provisions of the rule and submit their comments to the issuing agency. Unfortunately, this procedure is often being cast to the side, as agencies are instead using tactics outside of the normal regulatory process to accomplish policy goals.
Roosevelt’s Baby Still Making Taxpayers Cry
On February 2, 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6581 to create the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank in order to facilitate “exports and imports and the exchange of goods between the U.S. and the world.”
Definitely Not a Free Lunch
In fiscal year (FY) 2012, 30.7 million out of 50 million, or 61 percent, of U.S. students enrolled in public and non-profit private schools participated in both the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), federally assisted meal programs funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. Unfortunately, a June 15, 2014 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that when it comes to certifying beneficiaries for the NSLP, the federal government’s eyes are certainly bigger than its stomach.
City Residents Tell Investment Group No
According to a June 18, 2014 article by Deseret News, residents of Lindon, Utah rejected a proposed partnership with the Australian-based Macquarie Group that would have given Macquarie control of the Lindon fiber optic network for 30 years. Lindon is the first member of the Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) to decline the Macquarie […]
House Judiciary Tackles GSA Waste
House Judiciary Tackles GSA Waste By Colin Gamm The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet held a hearing today on two cases of wasteful courthouse renovations. The hearing topic was entitled “GSA’s Failure to Meet the Needs of the Judiciary: A Case Study of Bureaucratic Negligence and Waste.” The full Judiciary […]