The total US public debt has surpassed $40 trillion, marking a significant increase in less than five years. As fiscal deficits continue to widen, lawmakers face growing calls to address the situation.
The federal government has ended the fiscal year with a budget deficit totaling $2 trillion for 2026. To contextualize this amount, Washington spent approximately $15,000 more per household than it collected in revenue over the past year. This $2 trillion deficit is not due to any national emergency; it represents the current fiscal strategy. Over the next decade, annual deficits are projected to average $2.4 trillion.
In the remaining days of the 119th Congress, the House of Representatives has forwarded several bills to the Senate that could cut taxpayer expenses significantly. These bills aim to curb fraud in federal spending, a problem estimated to cost the government $233 billion to $521 billion annually, according to the Government Accountability Office.
The Pre-Payment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act, introduced by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), aims to improve the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system by integrating new data sources for eligibility verification. This bill passed the Committee by 35-1 and cleared the House with a two-thirds vote.
Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) proposed the ZOMBIE Act, focusing on shifting from audits of past payments to real-time auditing and risk management. It also suggests annual meetings between state government officials, the Treasury secretary, and the OMB director to coordinate fraud prevention efforts. This bill passed the Committee 40-0 and was approved by the House through a voice vote.
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) sponsored the Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act, which seeks to establish a permanent anti-fraud Inspector General for Fraud, Accountability, and Recovery within the Treasury Department. It proposes utilizing the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s data tools, including an AI-enabled Fraud Prevention Engine, to enhance payment screenings. This legislation passed the House with a vote of 240-181, supported by 28 Democrats.
All these bills are now awaiting Senate action. Given their broad bipartisan support in the House, Senate leaders have the option to prioritize them upon return. Alternatively, any senator can bring these bills to the floor for unanimous consent. Opposing such measures aimed at safeguarding taxpayer money from fraud remains challenging.
Though these bills won’t resolve a $2 trillion deficit, they represent a step towards financial efficiency. The Government Accountability Office has outlined additional measures Congress could take to boost efficiency and minimize fraud, potentially saving $132 billion to $251 billion.
Passing these bipartisan reforms should be a significant priority for the Senate in the upcoming lame-duck session.
Dan Lips is a senior fellow with the Foundation for American Innovation.
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