The facts
The federal budget splits into mandatory spending (like Social Security and Medicare), discretionary spending set annually by Congress, and interest on the national debt.
The Government Accountability Office and agency inspectors general regularly audit federal programs for waste, fraud, and abuse, publishing public reports.
Most federal spending goes to a handful of large categories — health programs, Social Security, defense, and debt interest — so "wasteful spending" debates often focus on a small slice of the total.
Understand the issue
Civics quick read
Glossary
Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending
Some federal spending runs on autopilot under existing law, while other spending has to be voted on by Congres
Glossary
Government Accountability Office
The GAO is Congress's watchdog that checks how federal agencies spend taxpayer money and reports back on what'
Civics
Where do your federal tax dollars actually go?
A quick tour of how Washington spends, who watches the books, and why "wasteful spending" debates can be trickier than they sound.
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Is the government spending your tax dollars wisely?
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