By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

**Click here to download the audio recording of this week’s column**

Congress holds the power of the purse. As one of three separate but equal branches of the federal government, legislators are ultimately responsible for administering the financial resources that allow our government to operate. Because of this, we hold a sacred trust with the American people as guardians of taxpayer dollars. As your senator, I have a fundamental duty to stop waste, fraud and abuse.

This month, the Senate began the appropriations process, which provides members of Congress with the opportunity to direct and allocate taxpayer dollars to federal government programs. This process is the only way our citizens can truly hold their elected representatives accountable. It also allows the American people to see the priorities of the U.S. Senate. 

Through my votes on these appropriation bills, I have to decide which government programs to prioritize and which to cut. These are tough choices, but Nebraskans sent me to Washington to make hard decisions. 

The appropriations process began with legislation to fund energy and water programs. Recently, I joined Senators Dan Coats of Indiana, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, and Jeff Flake of Arizona to introduce an amendment to the appropriations bill that would target what I see as overspending at the Department of Energy (DOE).  This amendment would wind down the DOE’s troubled Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program.

In 2009, Congress appropriated $7.5 billion in subsidies to cover $25 billion in loans authorized under the program. Some of these loans went to companies that later filed for bankruptcy and resulted in the loss of millions of taxpayer dollars. The ATVM program continued to struggle, which led the DOE to revise the program in 2014. To date, not a single loan has been approved since those changes went into effect. What’s more, the Government Accountability Office has recommended eliminating the program altogether. The ATVM program is a clear example of waste, and it reveals the dangers of allowing our government to pick winners and losers in the private sector.

Unfortunately, the amendment I introduced with Senators Coats, Toomey, and Flake did not receive the necessary votes to be included in the final bill. While I was disappointed, I remain committed to working with my colleagues on other measures to increase government efficiency and cut waste.

For example, this month, the Senate passed major legislation to update the nation’s energy policies for the first time in nearly a decade. This bill, known as the Energy Policy Modernization Act, would improve economic opportunities for families in Nebraska and across our country. 

As part of the final package, I was able to include my bill, known as the Judgment Fund Transparency Act. The Judgment Fund is used by the Treasury Department to pay claimants who won certain court judgments and settlements against the federal government. Between 2013 and 2015, the federal government paid more than $10 billion in Judgment Fund awards, with scant transparency or oversight.

This fund allocates unlimited resources to cover government liabilities in lawsuits. It is not subject to the annual appropriations process, and the fund is not required to make information on payouts available to the public. My legislation would provide transparency regarding the costs of these lawsuits and who is bringing them against the U.S. government. It would also provide hardworking taxpayers with the ability to see exactly where their tax dollars are going through these litigation expenses.

I was proud to see the Judgment Fund Transparency Act included in the final bill that recently passed the Senate. As we continue the appropriations process this year, I am committed to finding more ways to cut spending and stop government waste. As you can see, the Senate is hard at work, keeping our promise to you and holding the federal government accountable.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week. 

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