Government Transparency Project https://govtransparencyproject.org/ Independent, non-partisan analysis of federal spending, Federal Reserve economic data, and congressional accountability. Follow the money. Track the votes. en-us The Biggest Defense Contractors in 2026 (By Federal Contract Dollars) https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/biggest-defense-contractors-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/biggest-defense-contractors-2026.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:30:00 GMT Who are the biggest defense contractors? A ranked guide to the top U.S. defense companies by federal contract dollars, and how to track what each is paid. Palantir Government Contracts: How Much the Government Pays Palantir https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/palantir-government-contracts-explained.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/palantir-government-contracts-explained.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT How much does the U.S. government pay Palantir? A plain-English look at its federal contracts — Maven, Army Vantage, ICE/DHS work — and how to track the dollars. Does Congress Have Insider Trading? The STOCK Act, Explained https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/congress-insider-trading-stock-act-explained.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/congress-insider-trading-stock-act-explained.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT Can members of Congress legally trade stocks on information from their jobs? A plain-English guide to the STOCK Act, what it requires, how weak the enforcement is, and how to track the trades. Government Shutdown 2026: What's Funded, What Stops, and Where It Stands https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/government-shutdown-2026-what-funded-what-stops.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/government-shutdown-2026-what-funded-what-stops.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT A plain-English guide to a 2026 government shutdown — what causes it, what stays open, what stops, who gets paid, and how to check the current status in real time. Debt Passed $39 Trillion. The Next Risk Is the Cost of Rolling It Over. https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/debt-to-penny-39-trillion-interest-rate-reset-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/debt-to-penny-39-trillion-interest-rate-reset-2026.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT Treasury data shows U.S. public debt above $39 trillion while average interest rates and record bill auction sizes keep refinancing risk at the center of the federal budget outlook. FY2026 Deficit at Midyear: Borrowing Slows, Interest Stays High https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2026-midyear-deficit-cools-interest-costs-climb.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2026-midyear-deficit-cools-interest-costs-climb.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT First-half FY2026 deficit improved from last year, but net interest outlays stayed near $970B and total federal debt remained close to $39T in April data. The IEEPA Collapse: How the Supreme Court's 6-3 Ruling Rewired the Legal Framework Governing $166 Billion in U.S. Tariffs https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/ieepa-scotus-ruling-section-122-trade-framework-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/ieepa-scotus-ruling-section-122-trade-framework-2026.html Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT 6-3 Supreme Court ruling strikes down IEEPA tariffs, forcing $166B in refunds and a pivot to Section 122 trade authority. What changed, and what's next. The Trade Whipsaw: Tariff Front-Running, GDP Stall, and a Consumer Under Pressure https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/tariff-shock-trade-reversal-consumer-slowdown-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/tariff-shock-trade-reversal-consumer-slowdown-2026.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT The U.S. trade deficit swung $81B in a year. GDP near-stalled at 0.7% in Q4 2025. Consumer sentiment sits at 56.6. Here's what the data actually reveals. Where the $7 Trillion Goes: FY2025 Federal Agency Cost Breakdown https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2025-agency-net-cost-breakdown-federal-spending.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2025-agency-net-cost-breakdown-federal-spending.html Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT FY2025 Treasury data reveals agency-level net costs and how $970 billion in annual interest payments now exceeds all discretionary federal agencies combined. The $970 Billion Interest Bill: How a Shrinking Workforce and Exploding Debt Costs Are Rewriting the Federal Budget https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/labor-force-shrinkage-interest-costs-fiscal-squeeze-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/labor-force-shrinkage-interest-costs-fiscal-squeeze-2026.html Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT Federal interest costs hit $970B in FY2025 as labor force participation fell to 62.0%. The data reveals a widening gap between tax base and debt service. USTR Section 301 Investigations: 76 Nations, Two Investigations, One Office https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/ustr-section-301-investigations-76-economies-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/ustr-section-301-investigations-76-economies-2026.html Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT USTR opened simultaneous Section 301 investigations targeting manufacturing overcapacity in 16 economies and forced labor in 60 — the broadest deployment of U.S. trade law in modern history. Consumer Confidence Is at a 3-Year Low. GDP Growth Has Stalled. What the Data Says. https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/consumer-confidence-collapse-gdp-divergence-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/consumer-confidence-collapse-gdp-divergence-2026.html Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT Michigan sentiment fell to 56.4 — a 3-year low — as Q4 2025 GDP growth stalled at 0.7%. Five federal data series reveal the consumer confidence collapse. Record Treasury Auctions, 3.32% Average Rates: The Mechanics of Borrowing $39 Trillion https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/treasury-auction-volumes-federal-borrowing-mechanics-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/treasury-auction-volumes-federal-borrowing-mechanics-2026.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT Treasury auctioned a record $110B in 4-week bills in Oct 2025. Debt: $39T, avg rate: 3.32%. How the U.S. government's borrowing machine works and its cost. The $1.83 Trillion Deficit: How Mandatory Spending and Interest Payments Are Crowding Out the Federal Budget https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2025-deficit-structural-squeeze-mandatory-spending.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2025-deficit-structural-squeeze-mandatory-spending.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT The FY2025 federal deficit reached -5.77% of GDP. Mandatory spending and $970B in interest payments now consume 86 cents of every revenue dollar collected. $39 Trillion and Climbing: The U.S. Is Borrowing $6.73 Billion Every Day https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/national-debt-39-trillion-fy2026-pace.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/national-debt-39-trillion-fy2026-pace.html Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT The U.S. national debt crossed $39 trillion on March 19, 2026, adding $1.14 trillion in 169 FY2026 days. At $6.73 billion per day, taxpayers owe $116,400. 230,000 and Counting: What Initial Jobless Claims Reveal About the Federal Workforce Reduction https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/federal-workforce-reduction-jobless-claims-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/federal-workforce-reduction-jobless-claims-2026.html Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT BLS data shows initial jobless claims surged to 230,000 in late January 2026 as federal workforce reductions hit peak pace — what the government's numbers show. GDP Growth Fell to 0.7% in Q4 2025 — The Sharpest Single-Quarter Deceleration in Two Years https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/gdp-slowdown-q4-2025-economic-indicators.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/gdp-slowdown-q4-2025-economic-indicators.html Sat, 21 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT Real GDP growth fell from 4.4% to 0.7% in Q4 2025 — the sharpest quarterly deceleration in two years. Federal data shows 4.4% unemployment, 0.44% CPI inflation, and a flagging 4.5% personal saving rate. Senate DHS Deadlock: Four Cloture Votes, Zero Results https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/dhs-shutdown-senate-votes-119th-congress-2026.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/dhs-shutdown-senate-votes-119th-congress-2026.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT The Senate has failed four cloture votes on DHS funding — always 9 votes short of 60. After 34 days, 366 TSA officers resigned and spring break travelers face 3-hour waits. FY2026 Deficit Hits $1 Trillion in Five Months — On Pace for $1.9T Full-Year Gap https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2026-deficit-one-trillion-five-months-cbo.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2026-deficit-one-trillion-five-months-cbo.html Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT The federal government ran a $1 trillion deficit in the first five months of FY2026, CBO reports. With $308B borrowed in February alone, Washington is on pace for a $1.9T full-year gap. 88% Workforce Cut, 17 Enforcement Cases Dropped: GAO Report Documents CFPB's 2025 Restructuring https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/cfpb-gao-report-workforce-cuts-enforcement-rollback-2025.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/cfpb-gao-report-workforce-cuts-enforcement-rollback-2025.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:30:00 GMT A GAO audit of the CFPB (Feb–Aug 2025) documented stop-work orders, 88% workforce cuts, 17 dismissed enforcement cases, and 70 rescinded guidance documents. CBO Final Score: OBBBA Adds $3.4 Trillion to Deficit https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/one-big-beautiful-bill-congress-vote-cbo-score.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/one-big-beautiful-bill-congress-vote-cbo-score.html Sun, 15 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT CBO's post-enactment score of Public Law 119-21 raises the deficit impact to $3.4 trillion—$1T above early estimates. We document the vote tallies, procedure, and fiscal cost. FY2025 Federal Spending by Agency: The $7 Trillion Breakdown https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2025-federal-spending-by-agency-breakdown.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/fy2025-federal-spending-by-agency-breakdown.html Sat, 14 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT In FY2025, the federal government spent $7.0 trillion. Three agencies — HHS, Social Security, and Defense — consumed nearly two-thirds. GTP maps every dollar. Federal Interest Payments Top $1 Trillion for First Time in U.S. History https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/federal-interest-payments-trillion-dollar-milestone.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/federal-interest-payments-trillion-dollar-milestone.html Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT Federal net interest payments crossed $1 trillion in FY2025 for the first time, now outpacing defense spending as national debt reaches $38.9 trillion. CBO Projects $1.9 Trillion Deficit for FY2026 As 10-Year Shortfall Hits $24.4 Trillion https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/cbo-2026-budget-outlook-1-9-trillion-deficit.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/cbo-2026-budget-outlook-1-9-trillion-deficit.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT The CBO's February 2026 baseline projects $1.9 trillion in FY2026 deficits rising to $3.1T by 2036, with cumulative 10-year shortfalls of $24.4 trillion. One Big Beautiful Bill: 215-214 House, VP Tie-Break Senate https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/one-big-beautiful-bill-hr1-215-214-vote.html https://govtransparencyproject.org/articles/one-big-beautiful-bill-hr1-215-214-vote.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:00:00 GMT H.R. 1 passed the House 215–214 and Senate 50–50 on a VP tie-break. Three Republicans defected. CBO projects $2.4 trillion in new deficits through 2034.