In a recent revelation, Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa has unveiled a report detailing a series of projects that have either significantly exceeded their budget or have been subjected to extensive delays.
The report, which spans 50 pages, was compiled following a letter from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to Vice President J.D. Vance. The letter outlined 14 Department of Transportation projects that have either overshot their budget by at least $1 billion or are lagging five or more years behind their original schedule.
In an interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation, Ernst expressed her concern over the financial mismanagement of these projects, particularly in the wake of the Trump administration's decision to withdraw funding for Californias high-speed rail project. "Taxpayers shouldnt be forced to bail out gravy trains and bridges to nowhere because bureaucrats continue to get bamboozled," Ernst stated.
She further emphasized her commitment to protecting taxpayers from such financial burdens, saying, "I will not allow taxpayers to continue to be taken for a billion-dollar ride. It is time to bring these boondoggles to a squealing halt."
According to the Daily Caller, the projects highlighted in Ernst's report have collectively exceeded their budget by at least $162.9 billion. Californias high-speed rail project alone accounts for $95 billion of these cost overruns.
Ernst's report was prompted by a request she made to Duffy on April 1, asking him to list any projects that met the criteria outlined in Section 11319 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This act, signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in November 2021, specifies that any project either five years behind schedule or at least $1 billion over budget should be identified.
Ernst's report criticizes the lack of detail and transparency in the documentation of these projects. "This report that took so long to finish is a one-page chart providing few details, leaving out key information, and even omitting some well-known boondoggles," the report reads.
Among the projects listed, the Columbus Crossroads corridor improvements stand out for being 19 years behind schedule and for having a budget that has more than doubled its original estimate of $801 million. Initiated in 2011 with an expected completion date of 2018, the project is now not anticipated to be finished until 2037. Other projects, such as the Honolulu Rail Transit Project and a light rail project in Maryland, the Purple Line for the Washington Metro, have also experienced significant cost overruns and delays.
Duffy expressed his support for Ernst's efforts, stating, "If youre receiving taxpayer dollars, you should expect to be held accountable by the American people. No more boondoggles! Thank you, Senator Ernst, for your leadership in Congress to ensure federal dollars are being used effectively and efficiently."
Ernst's report also highlights other government programs that have exceeded their budgets, including an electronic records system for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is nearly $34 billion over budget. The report also notes that the cost overrun might not be the most concerning aspect of this project, stating, "Flaws with the new system may have contributed to the deaths of several veterans and caused harm to others."
Ernst's report further underscores cost overruns on defense projects, such as the program for new planes to serve as Air Force One and the Coast Guards effort to build new icebreakers. The report also mentions the $3.1 billion renovation of the Federal Reserves headquarters.
Since her election to the United States Senate in 2014, Ernst has been a vocal critic of government waste, recently focusing on the impact of telework and remote work on federal agencies. In a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, she outlined waste ranging from unused space in buildings to uncommitted spending for COVID relief, with the proposed savings totaling over $2 trillion. Ernst's ongoing efforts underscore the need for greater accountability and fiscal responsibility in government spending.
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