First on Fox: A new report from a government watchdog group has sparked renewed questions about the financial burden of the U.S. federal workforce, revealing that taxpayers are spending $1 billion per day on federal salaries. The study, released by Open The Books, reveals that with 2.9 million civil service employees drawing $270 billion in salaries alone, the government’s spending priorities are under scrutiny. The report highlights the disparity between the growth in the number of federal employees and the rate at which their salaries have increased, raising concerns about transparency and the efficiency of government operations.
The report, which analyzes fiscal year 2024 salaries, underscores that over $38.3 billion in salaries of 383,000 employees were redacted, pointing to potential mismanagement or inefficiencies in oversight. Open The Books’ CEO, John Hart, emphasized the importance of accountability, stating, “You can’t have accountability without visibility.” He also urged the Trump administration to address the expanding administrative state, noting that a lack of transparency has created blind spots in government operations.
Sen. Joni Ernst has been working with Open The Books to push for greater transparency in government operations. In a letter sent to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), she outlined instances of employees earning two salaries without their managers’ knowledge, including a HUD employee who billed taxpayers for work that didn’t actually happen. The senator also highlighted that the previous Schumer shutdown failed to address the growing bureaucratic challenges, noting that taxpayers could be on the hook for over $12 billion in back pay for 750,000 non-essential workers.
Ernst also described instances of double-billing, such as an HR official for the Peace Corps who was caught falsifying time cards to receive payment from multiple agencies. Her letter outlines several other cases of potential mismanagement, emphasizing the need for reform. She has introduced the Non-Essential Workers Transparency Act, which would require federal agencies to provide detailed reports of back pay to Congress within 30 days of a government shutdown.
The report also shows that the average federal employee earns significantly more than the average American, with 31,452 non-War Department federal workers earning more than every governor of the 50 states. The report points out that salaries in the highest brackets have increased by 84%, while those in the mid-range have risen by 82%. These figures raise questions about the justification for such high pay while the federal government struggles to address pressing national issues like infrastructure or economic stability.
While some argue that the federal workforce is essential for maintaining government functions, others see the growing administrative costs as a significant drain on public resources. The report calls for a re-evaluation of spending priorities and a focus on fiscal responsibility, suggesting that greater transparency and reform are needed to address the concerns raised by Open The Books. As the government moves closer to a resolution on the upcoming shutdown, the debate over the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy is set to intensify.