It's use-it-or-lose-it season in Washington, D.C. – and taxpayers are paying the price.

 

In the final seven days of fiscal year 2017, 67 federal agencies spent $50 billion to close out their budgets. It was a massive shop-until-you-drop, taxpayer-funded spending spree. Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com are exposing the taxpayer abuse, and it's shameful!

 

Yesterday, our honorary chairman, Dr. Tom Coburn, and our CEO, Adam Andrzejewski, published an editorial at Real Clear Politics. National Public Radio (Marketplace) aired a strong segment. U.S. Senator Rand Paul called for hearings and backed our investigation.

 

Roughly one out of every nine dollars in federal contracts disclosed by the executive and military agencies in FY2017 was spent during last week of the fiscal year. Eight departments spent over $1 billion each.

 

Agencies celebrate their stewardship with binges. For example, we found the State Department closed out its end-of-year booze budget by buying wine and whiskey gifts for dignitaries ($150,000). The U.S. Army bought fidget spinners ($6,600) and an arcade machine ($35,000) and snowboards and paddle boards ($62,000). Veterans Affairs spent $20,000 on shuffleboards.

 

That's obscene.

 

This is one of Washington's most egregious spending habits, and it's time for Congress to crack down.