Government watchdog group Open The Books (OTB) unveiled its latest investigation, entitled “Mapping the Growth of Government: The Case for Cuts.”
Several items by OTB give taxpayers an unprecedented look into the federal bureaucracy, validating the need for the DOGE commission.
Over the years, OTB has built an exhaustive federal agency map, detailing headcounts, spending, and activities of nearly 50 agencies from the Department of Justice and Homeland Security to the lesser-known Administrative Conference of the United States.
OTB’s investigation found that the spending measures of many agencies grew by more than 2,000%.
USAID: Headcount grew by 218% since 2000, but spending soared by 467%, funding projects like a transgender opera in Colombia and DEI initiatives abroad.
Health and Human Services (HHS): The Office of Refugee Resettlement spent $22.6 billion on migrant aid since 2020, including home loans, business grants, and credit repair.
Education Department: Staff decreased by 13.9% since 2000, but spending surged 749%, even as student achievement declined.
FEMA headcount was 290% higher in 2024 than in 2000 and spending swelled more than seven times faster – to 2,096% of the prior spending levels.
FEMA has been a target over the last few months for disaster response efficiency, primarily in their Disaster Relief Fund. And for spending big sums to house migrants in hotels. Several GOP governors like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said FEMA should be abolished and left for the states to handle.
National Institute for Health (NIH) saw their workforce expand by 21.5% since 2000, while spending grew by 301%, with billions in grants distributed annually.
Broken Record-Keeping and Obsolete Agencies:
Open The Books’ audit revealed that the Federal Register lists at least 75 defunct or obsolete agencies, underscoring how outdated record-keeping obscures accountability. Americans face significant challenges understanding the composition and cost of their own government.
