STOPPING WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE THROUGH DATA TRANSPARENCY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order stopping waste, fraud, and abuse by eliminating information silos.
- Agency Heads are directed to grant full and prompt access of unclassified Agency records, data, and systems to Federal officials in order to identify and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.
- This includes authorizing and facilitating both the intra- and inter-Agency sharing and consolidation of unclassified Agency records.
- Agency Heads must ensure immediate, unfettered access to comprehensive data from all state programs that receive federal funding, including third-party databases, to enhance oversight.
- The Secretary of Labor will gain access to unemployment data and payment records to strengthen fraud detection efforts.
- This Executive Order enhances accountability and streamlines government operations by ensuring Federal Agencies share critical data, consistent with applicable privacy protections.
ELIMINATING BUREAUCRATIC INEFFICIENCY: Decades of restricted data access within and between agencies have led to duplicated efforts, undetected overpayments, and unchecked fraud, costing taxpayers billions.
- The Biden Administration’s lack of transparency allowed waste to flourish, with billions lost annually to improper payments and fraudulent claims.
- In fiscal year 2023, the Biden Administration reported an estimated $236 billion in improper payments as the result of overpayments, inaccurate recordkeeping, and fraud.
- 74% of these errors were overpayments, including payments to deceased individuals.
- The Biden Administration lost more than $925 billion total over four years to improper payments.
- Over the last 20 years, the Federal Government has made an estimated $2.7 trillion in such improper payments.
- This Executive Order dismantles unnecessary barriers, promotes inter-agency collaboration, and ensure the Federal Government operates responsibly and efficiently to safeguard public funds.
SHRINKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: Since returning to office, President Trump has moved swiftly to fulfill his promise of a leaner, more effective government.
- On Day One, President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to examine how to streamline the Federal Government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
- President Trump directed a hiring freeze across federal agencies and limited new hires to one for every four departures.
- President Trump eliminated unnecessary agencies and government programs.
- President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
- President Trump promised to “cut waste, fraud, and abuse everywhere that we can find it, and there’s plenty of it.”