Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill on March 6, 2024. (Reuters/Bonnie Cash)
These agreements amount to "sweetheart deals," the Iowa senator said.
In fiscal years 2020-2022, the GAO found that more than $40 billion was reported by agencies under the term's umbrella. The office further noted that about $10 billion was seemingly related to the COVID-19 pandemic but that the expenditures weren't reported to the GAO as such. It also detailed that agencies appeared to use different strategies in reporting transactions as OTAs. Per the GAO, "Policymakers and the public will continue to lack complete spending information and transparency of OTAs" until they are considered federal rewards and held to that reporting standard.
FDNY UNION BOSS BREAKS SILENCE ON STAFF CHEERING TRUMP, BOOING LETITIA JAMES
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, speaks during a press conference, May 2, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"Seems pretty clear to me," Ernst said.
Because of this, she said she plans to give the department her monthly "Squeal Award." The purpose of the recognition is to identify and call out "wasteful" expenses.
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President Biden's proposed fiscal 2025 budget, which was released Monday, includes borrowing $16.3 trillion. According to the White House, the amount would be partially offset by taxes raised on corporations and the nation's highest earners. The Biden administration has said his budget proposal would actually lower the national deficit by $3 trillion over 10 years.
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