Trump signs Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act targeting costly federal projects
President Trump on October 8 signed the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, a law requiring federal agencies to publicly account for major projects that run badly over budget or fall far behind schedule. The bipartisan measure was championed by Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). Under the new law, any federal project that is at least $1 billion over budget or five years behind schedule must be publicly reported to Congress and the public, with explanations and the contractors identified. Ernst simultaneously released five newly flagged "boondoggle" projects: the F-35 fighter modernization program, whose cost has climbed from $395.7 billion in 2012 to $485.2 billion — $89.5 billion over budget and five years behind schedule; the Hudson River Tunnel between New York and New Jersey, $3 billion over budget; the rebuilding of Baltimore's Key Bridge, which could run as much as $3.5 billion over its original estimate; NASA's Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan, up from $850 million to $3.35 billion; and the Palo Alto VA Medical Center, $1.2 billion over budget and 21 years behind schedule, now not expected to finish until 2036. Together the five projects account for roughly $100 billion in overruns. Ernst said the law will drag every boondoggle "into the daylight." (Sources: Washington Examiner; U.S. House press release)
Source: Washington Examiner、美国众议院官网通稿
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：F-35战斗机。摄影：Airman 1st Class Alexander Cook／美国空军，公有领域，来源：Wikimedia Commons
