"Staggering level of duplication" in Washington

More waste.

From the Senate Republican Communications Center:

"Staggering Level Of Duplication"

New GAO Report Shows Billions In Government Waste, ‘Could Serve As A Template’ For Reducing Spending

‘A Staggering Level Of Duplication Is Plaguing The Bloated Federal Budget’

“Sen. Tom Coburn (R., Okla.), Who Pushed For The Report, Estimated It Identifies Between $100 Billion And $200 Billion In Duplicative Spending.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

GAO: “Reducing Or Eliminating Duplication, Overlap, Or Fragmentation Could Potentially Save Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars Annually And Help Agencies Provide More Efficient And Effective Services.” (“Government Overlap Costs Taxpayers Billions, GAO Reports,” The Washington Post, 3/1/11)

ABC NEWS: “With Congress Currently Embroiled In A Contentious Spending Fight, A Congressional Watchdog Has Found That A Staggering Level Of Duplication Is Plaguing The Bloated Federal Budget – And Chewing Up Billions Of Dollars In Funding Every Year.” (“GAO: Duplication, Waste Costs Taxpayers Billions Each Year, Coburn Says Report Makes Congress Look Like 'Jackasses',” ABC News, 3/1/11)

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: “[I]t Could Serve As A Template For Lawmakers In Both Parties As They Move To Cut Federal Spending And Consolidate Programs To Reduce The Deficit.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

THE WASHINGTON POST: “The Study, Mandated Last Year As Part Of Legislation Raising The Federal Debt Limit, Is Likely To Be Cited By Lawmakers Pushing For Deeper Spending Cuts As Part Of Ongoing Budget Negotiations.” (“Government Overlap Costs Taxpayers Billions, GAO Reports,” The Washington Post, 3/1/11)

GAO: Massive Overlap In Government Programs

“The U.S. Government Has More Than 100 Programs Dealing With Surface Transportation Issues, 82 Monitoring Teacher Quality, 80 For Economic Development, 47 For Job Training, 20 Offices Or Programs Devoted To Homelessness And 17 Different Grant Programs For Disaster Preparedness.” (“Government Overlap Costs Taxpayers Billions, GAO Reports,” The Washington Post, 3/1/11)

·         “Another 15 Agencies Or Offices Handle Food Safety, And Five Are Working To Ensure The Federal Government Uses Less Gasoline.” (“Government Overlap Costs Taxpayers Billions, GAO Reports,” The Washington Post, 3/1/11)

“The Agency Found 82 Federal Programs To Improve Teacher Quality; 80 To Help Disadvantaged People With Transportation; 47 For Job Training And Employment; And 56 To Help People Understand Finances, According To A Draft Of The Report Reviewed By The Wall Street Journal.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

·         “The Report Took Particular Aim At Government Funding For Surface Transportation, Including The Building Of Roads And Other Projects, Which The Administration Has Made A Major Part Of Its Push To Update The Country's Infrastructure.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

·         “The Report Said Five Divisions Within The Department Of Transportation Account For 100 Different Programs That Fund Things Like Highways, Rail Projects And Safety Programs.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

·         “The Report Says There Are 18 Federal Programs That Spent A Combined $62.5 Billion In 2008 On Food And Nutrition Assistance, But Little Is Known About The Effectiveness Of 11 Of These Programs Because They Haven't Been Well Studied.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

·         “The GAO Highlighted 80 Different Economic Development Programs At The Department Of Commerce, HUD, Department Of Agriculture And Small Business Administration, That Spent A Combined $6.5 Billion Last Year And Often Overlapped.” (“Billions In Bloat Uncovered In Beltway,” The Wall Street Journal, 3/1/11)

GAO: Billions In Stimulus Relied On Distribution System That Is ‘Mired In The 1950s’

THE WASHINGTON POST: “Much Of The Obama Administration's Economic Stimulus Program Has Relied On The Distribution Of Federal Highway Construction Dollars, But The Government's Approach To The Issue Remains Mired In The 1950s, Auditors Said.”  (“Government Overlap Costs Taxpayers Billions, GAO Reports,” The Washington Post, 3/1/11)

·         “Federal Transportation Issues Now Involve More Than 6,000 Workers At Five Agencies Within The Transportation Department, Running About 100 Separate Funding Streams For Highways, Transit Systems, Rail And Transportation Safety, The Report Said. The Overlap Costs An Estimated $58 Billion Annually.” (“Government Overlap Costs Taxpayers Billions, GAO Reports,” The Washington Post, 3/1/11)