President Trump signs law to publicly name over‑budget, overdue federal projects
President Donald Trump signed the Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act on Oct. 7, 2026, mandating that the federal administration publicly identify any government project that is at least $1 billion over budget or five years behind its original schedule.
The law seeks to improve transparency and accountability for massive federal expenditures, giving the public a clear view of projects that drain resources without delivering on time. By shining a spotlight on “boondoggles,” the legislation aims to protect taxpayers from unchecked cost overruns and delays.
Sponsored in the Senate by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, the bill garnered bipartisan backing, with Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller‑Meeks of Iowa co‑sponsoring. Both chambers passed the measure before it was sent to the White House.
Ernst praised the law, stating, “Washington math doesn’t add up, but my Billion Dollar Boondoggle law will restore accountability to its shady accounting.” Sen. Hassan called the measure “commonsense, bipartisan,” emphasizing that it will give the public greater visibility into federal spending. Miller‑Meeks added that the law will provide Congress and the public “greater visibility into federal projects that go over budget and fall behind schedule.”
In the first round of disclosures, Ernst highlighted five projects totaling roughly $100 billion in overruns. The Department of Defense’s F‑35 modernization program now stands at $485.2 billion, $89.5 billion over its original estimate and five years behind schedule. The Hudson River Tunnel, a critical link between New York and New Jersey, has risen to $15.7 billion—$3 billion over budget—and is three years late. Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild is projected at $5.2 billion, $3.5 billion above the initial estimate and two years behind. NASA’s Dragonfly spacecraft has ballooned from $850 million to $3.35 billion, and the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center now exceeds its budget by $1.2 billion while lagging 21 years behind its planned completion.
The act requires federal agencies to begin reporting qualifying projects immediately, with periodic updates to be posted publicly. Lawmakers say the ongoing disclosures will pressure agencies to tighten project management and curb future overruns.