Congressional Budget Cutting Activities in Science Preceded DOGE

Cover for "WASTEBOOK: The Farce Awakens"

Cover for "NSF: Under the Microscope"

Cover for "Wastebook: Porkemon Go"

Multiple Congressional Books Named "WASTEBOOK" Listed Hundreds of Federal Grants in Science Years Ago

GAINESVILLE, TX, UNITED STATES, June 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Some people are still expressing surprise and misgivings about the formation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its budget cutting activities. Some attention from that was devoted specifically to projects and funding identified by Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s examination of National Science Foundation grants, with emphasis placed on the incorporation of DEI activities. Sen. Cruz identified as inappropriate 3483 of these reviewed NSF grants, given to support science projects. Some scientists have been and are still concerned about the scrutiny and judgement of these grants.

Such scrutiny and judgement of federal grants by members of Congress has been done before. These activities were published previously, although the activities may have been forgotten because they first started several years ago. In April 2011, Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn compiled the first report, “Under the Microscope,” which detailed NSF grant "waste." This report effectively warned scientists who submitted grants and their universities.

After Sen. Coburn retired for health reasons, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake began reporting what he identified as waste in funded federal grants with “Wastebook: The Farce Awakens” in December, 2015. As insinuated by the Star Wars-inspired title, this was done with the intention to be humorous. This report highlighted 100 examples of "wasteful federal spending," mostly in science, amounting to more than $100 billion.

Sen. Flake was responsible for all the "wastebooks" published by the U.S. Congress after Sen Coburn's initial publication. During Sen. Flake's 10 years in the Senate, his "Wastebooks" resulted in the government canceled hundreds of millions of dollars in spending.

NSF countered the criticism in a formal response published at the NSF website. However, fourteen months later, this was followed by Senator Flake’s “WASTEBOOK: Porkemon GO” in January, 2017. Again, as insinuated by the Pokemon Go mobile game inspired title, this was his humorous evaluation of science grants considered to be wasteful. Each successive "Wastebook" uses stronger language in the evaluation and criticism, as the perceived waste is being repeated.

Now, more members of Congress are taking part in the evaluation of federal grants which they say are inappropriate, in ways which are receiving more publicity than before. Also, the review of grants for waste and cancellation has been assigned to another entity -- DOGE. Grants considered inappropriate are once again being identified, except this time some grants are also being cancelled.

This information about the similar preceding activities may help to put the current actions into perspective.

DR. DONNA J. NELSON
Dr. Donna J. Nelson
+1 617-290-0158
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