Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is asking Office of Management and Budget head Russell Vought to implement bills cutting government waste, accusing the previous administration of ignoring them.

Ernst has introduced several bills to cut perceived government waste and highlight questionable government projects. She’s now looking to cooperate with Trump’s new OMB head to put the bills into practice.

“To stop waste, we first need to see it, and sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Ernst said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “Americans should not have to jump through hoops to figure out how Washington is spending, and often misspending, their money. By shining a light on every dollar spent by government, we will finally put a stop to the circus that has put our nation $36 trillion in debt.” 

In a letter to Vought, Ernst said all of her introduced laws hadn’t been implemented by the previous administration, and she expressed hope that Vought would ensure compliance.

“During my time in the Senate, I authored a number of laws intended to do just that, none of which have been implemented. Apparently, unelected bureaucrats have granted themselves a veto over any laws they don’t like,” she wrote.

Ernst introduced a provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requiring the Department of Transportation to submit an annual report of all projects that are either $1 billion over budget or five years behind schedule. Though the first report was due in November 2022, none have been submitted. A similar problem was repeated in her provision in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022.

The letter highlighted several instances of perceived wasteful government projects. The National Science Foundation paid thousands of dollars for a treadmill for shrimp. The Biden administration spent $24,000 on a bakery roadshow in China, $121,000 on a breathalyzer for the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, $124,000 on an instant carwash system in Pakistan, and $35,000 on a traveling circus in California.

“I am proposing legislative fixes, but the real problem is agencies refuse to respect the law,” Ernst concluded. “I appreciate your commitment at your confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to make agencies adhere to these laws. I am following up to learn when and what guidance will be issued to ensure compliance.”

ERNST AND MILLER-MEEKS INTRODUCE BILL DEMANDING DISCLOSURE OF DELAYED AND OVER-BUDGET GOVERNMENT PROJECTS

Ernst, who has made efforts to cut government waste a cornerstone of her time in the Senate, intensified her efforts following GOP victories in the 2024 elections. She co-founded the Senate DOGE Caucus, which has sought to coordinate with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to cut perceived government waste more effectively.

She has racked up victories on subjects such as ending government teleworking, of which she was a vocal critic.