Sen. Joni Ernst Leads Sunshine Week Hearing on Government Waste Exposure

Sen. Joni Ernst is intensifying oversight of federal spending from her position on the Senate Small Business Committee. She announced plans to observe Sunshine Week and to convene a hearing focused on fraud, waste, and abuse in government.

Ernst told Filmogaz.com she will spotlight how taxpayer dollars are used. She said transparency is essential for accountability.

Sunshine Week hearing and goals

The hearing will aim to identify and stop wasteful federal spending. It is timed to coincide with Sunshine Week, emphasizing openness.

Ernst plans to work with outside watchdogs and the Government Accountability Office. Her objective is to make government expenditures public as law requires.

Witnesses and testimony

• John Hart, CEO of Open the Books.
• Justin Goodman, Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Public Policy at the White Coat Waste Project.
• Jeff Arkin, representative from the Government Accountability Office.

White Coat Waste intends to describe its investigations. The group says it has uncovered spending on beagle testing and other programs at agencies such as the NIH and the Small Business Administration.

Justin Goodman has also accused certain projects of violating transparency laws, and he told Filmogaz.com his group will discuss those findings at the hearing.

Ernst’s transparency record

Ernst gained national attention early in her career by targeting high federal spending. She continues that theme with a recurring “Squeal Award” highlighting perceived waste.

Her legislative efforts include the COST Act, enacted in 2021. The law requires many federally funded projects to display a public cost estimate for taxpayers.

She also sponsored the Billion Dollar Boondoggle measure, which passed the Senate last year. That bill mandates annual public reporting on transportation and infrastructure projects that are over budget or delayed five years or more.

Next steps

The upcoming hearing will bring witnesses and watchdog findings into a public forum. Ernst said the session will test whether agencies are meeting transparency obligations.

Expect testimony on specific spending practices and recommendations for stronger oversight. The senator aims to use Sunshine Week to increase exposure of government waste.