Issues

The RSC is always interested in additional examples of government waste, fraud, and abuse.  Please email the RSC (rsc@mail.house.gov) with any specific examples you know of with as much information as possible (such as news clips, web link, dates, etc.). 

Federal Government Finances National Health Museum (8/29/06)
This five page brief outlines both fiscal and social conservative concerns with the effort to establish a national health museum. 

Legal Abuses of the LSC paid for with Taxpayer Dollars (8/16/06)
The RSC has prepared this one-pager highlighting examples of fraud and abuse at the Legal Services Corporation.

Congressional Gold Medals (5/8/06)
This RSC one-pager details the origins of the Congressional Gold Medals, past recipients (from George Washington to Charles Shultz), new nominees (such as Mr. Rogers and Tiger Woods), and how much each costs taxpayers (approximately $34,000, including $10,000 in gold).

The Best and the Worst in Government Waste (4/21/06)
This RSC document highlights numerous examples of government waste in various federal agencies and programs.  The overview provides a short description and links to the original RSC one-pager outlining the waster, fraud, or abuse in that particular program or entity.

FEMA Katrina Relief Waste (3/20/06)
To see an RSC one-pager highlighting some waste, fraud, and abuse in FEMA's hurricane response, click here.

Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill (3/14/06)
This week the House will consider an emergency supplemental appropriations bill, which would appropriate $19.1 billion for additional 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricane recovery and clean-up efforts.  The RSC has prepared this document detailing FEMA waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the Gulf Coast Hurricane recovery effort.  For instance, GAO has reported that "thousands" of Katrina evacuee registrants used invalid Social Security numbers to received additional financial assistance. 

National Institutes of Health funds sex research, conference (2/07/06)
The RSC prepared this list of programs funded by the NIH, including transgender studies, a conference on sexual arousal, and pornography and prostitution research.

The Department of Energy's $325,000 "Energy Hog" video game (2/07/06)
Click the above link to learn how taxpayers help pay for the "Energy Hog" webgame.

Sensibly Saving Taxpayer Dollars (11/18/05)
The House of Representatives passed the Deficit Reduction Act, H.R. 4241, on November 18, 2005.  The legislation will save taxpayers approximately $50 billion over the next five years by cutting waste, fraud and abuse in the federal budget.  This RSC document outlines the savings by issue included in this legislation.

Federally Funded Flying Fish (10/15/05)
The RSC released this one-pager highlighting the use of federal funds to paint a large fish on the side of an Alaska Airlines airplane.

Hurricane Katrina Relief:  FEMA Debit Card Waste (9/15/05)
Click here to read how at least two Katrina evacuees spent federal assistance to buy expensive handbags.

NASA Employs Performance Artist (9/15/05)
The RSC prepared this one-pager on NASA Performance Artist, Laurie Anderson. Anderson was paid $20,000 by NASA to create a file about the planet's moons, which showed once at the 2005 World Expo.

Food Stamps and Medicaid Waste
In light of some assertions that there is no waste in Medicaid or the food stamp program, the RSC prepared two one-pagers debunking such assertions:

• Medicaid Waste (10/1/05)
• Food Stamp Program (10/1/05)

The RSC released the following three documents highlighting examples of federal government waste:

• Congressional Record Printing (6/28/05)
• The Spokescow (6/20/05)
• VERB (6/20/05)

FEMA Flashback (10/3/03)
Read about FEMA spent $13.4 million on 9/11 healing spaces and other questionable expenses.

National Endowment of the Arts (5/18/05)
This RSC Policy Brief on funding levels for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has been updated to reflect passage of the FY2006 Interior Appropriations Conference Report. Note that, once again, funding for the NEA has increased.

NEA’s Beer Can House
The National Endowment for the Arts, which received over $120 million in FY06, awarded $10,000 to the Orange Show Foundation in Huston, Texas, to restore the Beer Can House, a structure lined with beer cans, intended to house future artists-in-residence.

Affordable Housing Fund (5/25/05)
35 House Republicans sent this letter to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), expressing strong opposition to the creation of a new Affordable Housing Fund for government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Federal Credit Card Abuse (6/1/05)
The RSC prepared this one-pager about the credit card abuse at the Department of Agriculture, where federal employees used their government credit card to purchase things like Ozzy Osbourne concert tickets, tattoos, and exotic attire.

Homeland Goes Hollywood
RSC prepared this one-pager in light of recent news reports that the Department of Homeland Security has hired former actress Bobbie Faye Furgeson to be DHS' "liaison to the entertainment industry."

Postal Reform
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) sent this letter to House Leadership, requesting that the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (H.R. 22) not be scheduled for consideration by the full House until certain concerns are addressed. (5/19/05)

To read the concerns that some conservatives have about H.R. 22, click here. (5/15/05)

RSC Rules Changes (1/10/05)
The Heritage Foundation published a memo, "A Bad Week for Limited Government," about the failure to adopt the RSC's proposed changes to House Rules.  Click here to read the Heritage Foundation memo

RSC Proposed Changes to House Rules (12/04)
Several organizations released statements in support of the RSC's proposed changes to House rules, aimed at controlling federal spending and restoring some "good government" measures. To read the statement from an organization, click on the links below.

• The American Conservative Union (12/20/04)
• The National Taxpayers Union (12/15/04)
• Citizens Against Government Waste (12/13/04)