A year-long investigation by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa found that federal bureaucrats are costing taxpayers billions of dollars while avoiding their responsibilities in office, including: It has been revealed that this includes reports of staff working from home attending meetings while “relaxing on the beach” and “relaxing in bubble baths”. The first Senate DOGE caucus meeting was held with Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who were both tasked with: President-elect Donald Trump to head Department of Government Efficiency.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is making waves today by releasing a scathing report on federal government inefficiencies and telework abuses at the first meeting of the Senate DOGE Caucus.
The report is part of her ongoing campaign against bureaucratic waste and how federal employees are held accountable while taxpayers foot the bill for empty office buildings and unsupervised remote work. It highlights how you are ignoring it.
“The bureaucrats are playing hide-and-seek,'' declared Ernst.
In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Sen. Ernst emphasized the urgency of restoring accountability to federal agencies.
“For years, I've followed bureaucrats relaxing in bubble baths, playing golf, getting arrested and doing all kinds of things outside of work,” she said. “It would be almost comical if this wasn't being done on every taxpayer dime, at the expense of veterans, seniors, small business owners, and Americans who need competent service from government agencies. I guess.”
“Federal employees need to go back to work, but if they don't want to do that, I'll make sure they get their wish,” he added.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), co-chaired by prominent entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the purpose As part of President Trump's “Save America” policy, streamline federal operations by holding federal employees accountable, curbing unnecessary spending, reducing waste, reducing bureaucracy, and reducing regulation. do.
Ernst's year and a half of research revealed some startling statistics.
- Telework in the federal government has skyrocketed from 3% before the pandemic, with nearly 30% of employees now working fully remotely.
- Office space utilization in Washington averages just 12%, and billions of dollars are spent annually on maintenance, energy, and unused supplies.
- Veterans' calls for mental health care have gone unheeded, staffing shortages have delayed critical warnings about the safety of infant formula, and public services have suffered.
The findings call attention to cases of payroll fraud in which telecommuting employees claim to live far from their assigned offices and inflate local wages. . Ernst said some employees were logging in from more than 3,000 miles away while collecting the higher paychecks given to workers in more expensive areas.
The Iowa senator has proposed several measures to reform the bloated federal bureaucracy that is a burden to taxpayers.
- Relocate federal offices to areas better suited to their mission, reduce costs, and increase accountability.
- Sell off unused office space, including more than 7,000 vacant government buildings.
- Implement stricter work-from-home policies and track employee performance and location using modern tools like VPN logins and office swipe-ins.
- Securing telework agreements prioritizes the needs of taxpayers over the convenience of public employees.
Senator Ernst has long advocated for reducing federal waste while ensuring government accountability.
Last year she prompted It's about moving taxpayer-funded government buildings from President Joe Biden's “Washington, D.C. swamp” to “the heartland,” where they will be “more accountable to hardworking Americans.” Can be done.
His Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that most federal offices are nearly empty due to the prevalence of telework among federal employees.
she too successfully introduced an amendment to the bill that would reduce salaries for public officials based on the scope of telework and remote work location. He also called for a study into the impact of remote working on productivity in early September.
Previously, she announced It is a reform package to hold the “entrenched federal bureaucracy'' accountable, “drain the swamp,'' and “abolish bureaucracy.''
The package of solutions includes bringing decision-making “closer to the American people and the nation.”[ing] The government responds to the real needs of the American people.” Swamp method she introduced.
through support To prevent unproductive problems when working from home (Show up) AkuShe's also trying to require federal bureaucrats to “report to work,” using taxpayers' dime to “telework.” demanding A survey on the “abuse'' of remote “work''.
Ernst also called The closure of the recently renovated Democratic-run Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in San Francisco cited serious security concerns due to a spike in crime and drug activity in the area, calling it a “haunted house” and a “failure of the far left.” He described it as a “symbol” of government dysfunction.
The Department of Health and Human Services advised employees not to come to its offices after an alarming number of overdoses and violent incidents near facilities highlighted the dangerous situation.
After Republicans gained a majority in recent elections, she is currently offering her proposals to the incoming Republican-controlled Congress to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy, and hold federal agencies accountable. The appeal is for the legislation to be prioritized and passed.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @Joshua Klein.
