Taxpayers for Common Sense

Tariffs were sold as a windfall. What did taxpayers actually get? TCS follows the money so you don’t have to. Chip in to keep that work going. taxpayer.net/an-appeal-tarif…

FEMA wants states to rely less on federal disaster aid. But handing states a bigger bill doesn’t make disasters cheaper. TCS examined competing reform plans and the question taxpayers should ask. Will this actually reduce future losses? taxpayer.net/disaster/two-pa…

The Iran War has cost taxpayers at least $47 billion, according to a new Pentagon estimate. If lawmakers want to protect taxpayers & national security, they can help rein in the war by rejecting the Pentagon's $1.5 trillion budget request. nytimes.com/2026/10/27/us/po…

Last night in TX, Pres. Trump pitched weaker methane rules as an energy strategy. Apparently, “waste less of what we already produce” didn’t make the cut. Our report found $658 million in natural gas lost on federal lands over a decade. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

What’s gone with the wind isn’t just the prospect of energy for millions of households. It’s up to $3.9 billion in taxpayer dollars that are being used by the Administration to stall offshore wind development, undermining American energy development. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Trump’s planned methane rollback would scrap a program requiring oil and gas companies to respond to major leaks. Tough on waste, unless it comes with a drilling permit. Taxpayers’ stake in all this? Up in the air. Literally. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

The IRS accepted over 473,000 tax returns with "questionable" deductions in this cycle, potentially costing taxpayers $122.4 million. Meanwhile, the administration is cutting the agency responsible for catching these problems. taxpayer.net/budget-appropri…

Companies paid to win offshore wind leases. The money went into the Treasury. Now taxpayers face billions in buyouts, while losing future revenue those projects could generate. Support independent scrutiny of these deals. taxpayer.net/an-appeal-offsh…

Reining in unlimited crop insurance premium subsidies to millionaires and billionaires can ensure the program better promotes innovation and resilience, instead of increasing agriculture’s dependence on federal subsidies. taxpayer.net/agriculture/cas…

NEW REPORT: Taxpayers lost $1.8B in royalty revenue from federal oil and gas production in ND from 2016-2025. Federal leases charged a 12.5% royalty. At 18.75%, a rate more in line with state and private lands; taxpayers would have collected millions more. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

The IRS accepted over 473,000 tax returns with "questionable" deductions in this cycle, potentially costing taxpayers $122.4 million. Meanwhile, the administration is cutting the agency responsible for catching these problems. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Our Quote of the Week for the week of October 26 comes from @ChuckGrassley. Our Quote of the Week is released with our Weekly Wastebasket newsletter. Sign up to receive our Wastebasket here: taxpayer.net/wastebasket/

Leasing and permitting pause, construction shutdowns, lease buyouts, and permit do-over requests - the Administration continues to take the wind of the sails of the wind industry, undermining a robust and affordable energy market, and taxpayers are footing the bill. Read more here: taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

DEBTrimental: This week’s total federal debt clock:

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) has evolved from a tool to simply cut and track checks for farm bill programs to a source of nearly unrestrained administrative power. With more than $40 trillion in debt, taxpayers can no longer afford it. taxpayer.net/agriculture/the…

Offshore wind developers have faced a leasing and permitting freeze, construction shutdowns, lease buyouts, and now permit do-over requests. Gone with the wind is future energy supply, and billions in taxpayer dollars, and any semblance of regulatory certainty taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Fully repealing the Roadless Rule could cost taxpayers billions in subsidized roadbuilding and maintenance, lead to more money-losing timber sales, increase wildfire risks and costs, and threaten commercial and recreational benefits of our national forests provided to the American public Read TCS’s comments on the proposed repeal to learn more: taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…

Paying companies billions to abandon domestic energy projects is a strange definition of “energy dominance.” We examined $3.9 billion in federal offshore wind lease buyouts. Help us keep following the money. taxpayer.net/an-appeal-offsh…

The administration wants states to shoulder more disaster costs. State taxpayers and federal taxpayers share something important. They’re the same people. TCS looks at how preventing flood damage can save them money. taxpayer.net/disaster/why-fe…

Insufficient financial assurance requirements for oil & gas operators on federal lands allow companies to walk away instead of cleaning up - leaving American taxpayers & communities with the costs. A new bill proposed by Sen. @MichaelBennet would fix that. taxpayer.net/energy-natural-…