Trump signs Ernst bill on spending overruns
Senator says it will uncover budget messes
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A measure U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst wrote to combat runaway federal spending by publicizing the worst examples of it is now law.
The Iowa Republican reported that her Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump earlier this week.
It requires the federal government to publicly report every project that is $1 billion or more over budget or five years or more behind schedule.
"Washington math doesn't add up, but my Billion Dollar Boondoggle law will restore accountability to its shady accounting," Ernst said in a written statement.
"Taxpayers deserve this transparency and it will protect them from being put on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars sunk into failed and mismanaged projects plagued by massive cost overruns and never-ending delays," she added.
Ernst said her measure puts the word boondoggle "officially in the law books for the first time."
The senator reported a handful of government spending overruns that meet the criteria for being reported under the new law.
Topping her list is the modernization project for F-35 fighter planes. She said that effort is $89.5 billion over budget.
Other items on the list include:
Construction of a tunnel under the Hudson River in the New York City metropolitan area: $3 billion over budget.
Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which was destroyed when a ship crashed into it: about $3.5 billion over budget.
NASA's Saturn Dragonfly spacecraft: $2.5 billion over budget.
The Senate passed the bill in December 2025.
The House of Representatives passed it in September, sending it to Trump’s desk.