Cotton moves to loosen rules to boost supply of household staple, ease affordability crunch
FIRST ON FOX: A Senate Republican wants to lower the costs of eggs by loosening certain regulations as the nation deals with growing affordability concerns. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., plans to introduce a bill that would tweak federal egg-handling rules to allow more to enter the market in a bid to lower prices of the household staple. Cotton’s bill, the Lowering Egg Prices Act of 2025, first obtained by Fox News Digital would update federal egg-handling rules to make it easier for surplus broiler hatching eggs — fertile eggs originally intended for broiler chicken production — to be diverted into the food supply as pasteurized liquid egg products. BROOKE ROLLINS: YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER COSTS LESS AND THAT’S A REASON TO GIVE THANKS “Arkansas consumers have paid higher egg prices and faced egg shortages because of bureaucratic red tape that forces farmers to throw out hundreds of millions of usable eggs each year,” Cotton said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “My bill will cut these excessive regulations and lower egg prices.” The legislation would require that the Food and Drug Administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, rewrite its egg rules so that eggs intended to be hatched could also enter into the food supply as a liquid egg product, effectively creating a regulatory glide path to bolster the number of eggs in the supply chain. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LAWSUIT CRACKS DOWN ON CALIFORNIA’S EGG PRODUCTION REGULATIONS Egg prices had steadily inched upward late last year into earlier this year, reaching record highs by March of more than $6 per dozen eggs. But the cost of eggs has since been steadily dropping, thanks in part to efforts by President Donald Trump and his administration to combat the effects of avian flu. If the virus is detected in a hatchery, the entire flock is generally killed to halt its spread. Doing so can put a dent in the supply chain, and cause prices to creep up. TRUMP INSISTS PRICES ARE ‘COMING DOWN,’ BLAMES BIDEN — BUT VOTERS SAY THEY’RE STILL GETTING SQUEEZED Trump ordered the USDA earlier this year to dump $1 billion into a plan to bolster the egg supply chain against avian flu, with a focus on biosecurity measures, farmer relief, vaccine research and increasing imports. There were a spate of lawsuits against egg producers for alleged price fixing this year and notably, the Trump administration sued the state of California for allegedly going against federal law and increasing egg prices with red tape. But egg prices have trended downward since the record highs earlier this year. According to the USDA’s most recent egg markets overview, egg prices during the first week of December dropped overall, save in some markets like California. Large white eggs, for example, dropped by roughly 17% to an average of $1.91 per dozen egg.
Cause of death confirmed for Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The death of former Sen. Mitt Romney‘s sister-in-law has been confirmed to be a suicide, the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office announced Tuesday. Carrie Elizabeth Romney, 64, died of “blunt traumatic injuries” after plunging from a five-story parking garage in California in early October. She had been married to Mitt Romney’s older brother, George Scott Romney, 81, and the pair had been going through a months-long divorce. “Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to all our lives,” Mitt Romney said in a statement after Carrie’s death. FETTERMAN’S BRUTALLY CANDID ACCOUNT OF BATTLING DEPRESSION, FEELING SUICIDAL, BEING THROWN OUT OF HIS HOUSE “We ask for privacy during this difficult time,” he added. Carrie and George had been married since 2016. They had been separated since late May, and George filed a divorce petition in early June. FLASHBACK: MITT ROMNEY MOCKED IN 2012 FOR SELF-DEPORTATION CONCEPT THAT HAS NOW BECOME A REALITY Mitt Romney served as a Utah senator until 2024, when he decided not to run for re-election. “I have spent my last 25 years in public service of one kind or another. At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-eighties. Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders. They’re the ones that need to make the decisions that will shape the world they will be living in,” Romney said at the time. “We face critical challenges — mounting national debt, climate change, and the ambitious authoritarians of Russia and China. Neither President Biden nor former President Trump are leading their party to confront them,” Romney said. “It is a profound honor to serve Utah and the nation, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so.”
House Democrat introduces impeachment articles against RFK Jr
A House Democrat filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., announced the move on Wednesday, arguing Kennedy has failed in his role. Stevens had previously vowed to file the articles in September. “Today, I formally introduced articles of impeachment against Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. RFK Jr. has turned his back on science and the safety of the American people. Michiganders cannot take another day of his chaos,” she wrote in a statement posted on social media. HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon reacted to the impeachment effort in a statement to NBC News. NOEM TEASES ‘NEXT BIG ANNOUNCEMENT’ THAT MAY CHANGE AIRPORT SECURITY RULE “Secretary Kennedy remains focused on the work of improving Americans’ health and lowering costs, not on partisan political stunts,” Nixon said. The move comes just days after Stevens’ fellow Democrat, Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., filed articles of impeachment against War Secretary Pete Hegseth. NEW TSA PROGRAM LAUNCHED TO ELIMINATE DOUBLE SCREENINGS FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS Thanedar pointed to reports that Hegseth issued orders to “kill everybody” onboard a small vessel that was allegedly involved in drug trafficking. DUFFY URGES SENATE TO PASS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL’S $12.5B AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEM FIX “Pete Hegseth has been using the United States military to extrajudicially assassinate people without evidence of any crime,” said Thanedar. “Former military attorneys have come out and asserted that his conduct constitutes war crimes. We cannot allow his reprehensible conduct to continue, which is why I have filed these articles to impeach him.” Both Michigan Democrats are facing hotly contested Democratic primaries for the upcoming 2026 elections. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Nancy Mace vows to ‘fight like hell’ to rename old Black Lives Matter Plaza for Charlie Kirk
FIRST ON FOX: A new bill could see part of the national capital renamed after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, introduced three months after his assassination. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is introducing legislation to rename the area that until recently had been known as Black Lives Matter Plaza, she first told Fox News Digital. “Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization that wants to defund the police and take your speech away,” Mace argued. “And what I want to do on the three-month anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s political assassination is celebrate him and the First Amendment and freedom of speech by renaming the plaza after him.” CONSERVATIVES FROM PASTORS TO SENATORS WISH CHARLIE KIRK A POSTHUMOUS HAPPY BIRTHDAY Black Lives Matter is a far-left activist group that gained traction after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a White police officer. It is not designated as a terrorist organization, but people on the right and even some Democrats have criticized it for going too far with calls to “defund the police,” while questions have also been raised in the past about how it spends its funding. A two-block area of Washington, D.C., was renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by the city’s government in June 2020 amid nationwide protests over Floyd’s killing. It was marked by a massive mural depicting the words “Black Lives Matter” in the middle of the street. STATE REP’S BILL WOULD PUNISH COLLEGES FINANCIALLY IF THEY DON’T RENAME ROADS AFTER CHARLIE KIRK That was reversed in March of this year after pressure from Republicans, including President Donald Trump, amid a crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts across the country. Mace suggested she was not optimistic that her bill would get a House-wide vote but said she would “fight like hell” for it. It comes three months after Kirk was assassinated while speaking at a college free-speech event in Utah. Both Republicans and Democrats have condemned the killing as a tragedy and an attack on free speech. Prosecutors in Utah are seeking the death penalty against Tyler James Robinson, Kirk’s accused killer. Mace’s bill is one of several pieces of legislation introduced to memorialize Kirk in the wake of his death. “I think members of Congress have done their part, rank-and-file members. But there’s still more to do yet. And we need to make sure that we continue his legacy forever,” Mace said. A resolution honoring Kirk passed the House of Representatives in September with support from all Republicans and 95 Democrats. Fifty-eight Democrats voted against it, while another 38 voted “present.”
Homeland Security moves toward scrutinizing foreign tourists’ social media accounts before entry
The Department of Homeland Security is moving toward scrutinizing the recent social media histories of foreign travelers before allowing them to enter the United States. In a notice filed Tuesday in the Federal Register, U.S. Customs and Border Protection wrote, “In order to comply with the January 2025 Executive Order 14161 (Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats), CBP is adding social media as a mandatory data element for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application.” “The data element will require ESTA applicants to provide their social media from the last 5 years,” it added. Homeland Security describes ESTA as “an automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risk.” TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVOKES RECORD 85,000 VISAS IN SWEEPING IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN TARGETING SAFETY THREATS The Visa Waiver Program currently allows citizens of designated countries — such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Japan — “to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa,” according to the DHS. Fox News Digital has reached out to Homeland Security for further comment. The notice said the American public has 60 days to comment on the CBP proposal. STATE DEPARTMENT YANKS VISAS FROM MEXICAN EXECUTIVES IN MIGRANT SMUGGLING CRACKDOWN The White House said in the executive order referenced in the Federal Register notice that, “It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.” “To protect Americans, the United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those aliens approved for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests,” read the order signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2025. “More importantly, the United States must identify them before their admission or entry into the United States. And the United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security,” it added.
Trump compares real wages under his admin versus Biden’s during speech calling out Dem affordability ‘hoax’
President Donald Trump was in Pennsylvania Tuesday night touting his administration’s economic success, after Democrats swept a series of elections in 2025 while mainly campaigning on platforms focused on “affordability.” “They caused the high prices, and we’re bringing them down,” Trump told the crowd in attendance at a casino resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, whom he spoke to for nearly two hours. “Lower prices, bigger paychecks – you’re getting lower prices, bigger paychecks, we’re getting inflation – we’re crushing it – and you’re getting much higher wages. The only thing that is really going up big – it’s called the stock market and your 401ks.” Affordability has become a flashpoint heading into the midterms, with Republicans now fine-tuning their messaging on the economy after a slew of Democrats won elections in 2025 running on a platform focused on lowering costs. Prior to Tuesday night’s address in Pennsylvania, Trump told Politico in an interview that he would give his economy an “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus” grade, but a November Fox News national survey found that some 76% of voters reported they view the economy negatively, up from the 67% who reported the same in July, and up from the 70% who said the same at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term. TRUMP INSISTS PRICES ARE ‘COMING DOWN,’ BLAMES BIDEN – BUT VOTERS SAY THEY’RE STILL GETTING SQUEEZED Real-wages were among one of the several statistics that Trump shared with voters Tuesday to prove how much better the economy is under him than Biden. According to Trump, real wages “plummeted” by $3,000 under Biden, while under Trump’s second administration, the president said, the typical factory worker has seen their real wages increase by $1,300, construction workers by over $1,800, and miners by $3,300. Trump added that, under Biden, real-wages for construction workers dropped by $3,500. To put things into perspective for the audience, Trump also touched on the price of everyday goods, and shared charts with the audience showing how the prices differed under his predecessor’s term. Citing a report from Walmart, Trump said the cost of a full Thanksgiving meal, trimmings, turkey and all, is 25% cheaper under his administration than it was under Biden. He said the price of Thanksgiving turkeys specifically was also down 33%. Trump added that egg prices have “dropped like a rock” under his second term, noting their price point is down 80% since March. TRUMP APPROVAL CLIMBS AS REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND PRESIDENT’S AFFORDABILITY AGENDA: POLL “One of the most important ways we’re defeating inflation is by unleashing American energy, including oil, gas and clean beautiful coal,” Trump also said, citing data he said shows 22 different states have lower gas prices today than they ever have in the last seven years. Three of them, Trump noted, have gas as low as $1.99 per gallon. Trump also touted lower mortgage rates under his administration, $18 trillion in new private investments compared to Biden’s less than $1 trillion, and a hot stock market as examples of how his economy is doing well. “I can’t say affordability hoax because I agree the prices were too high. I can’t call it a hoax because they’ll misconstrue that. But they use the word affordability and that’s their only word,” Trump said while bashing Democrats on the economy Tuesday night. “They say, ‘affordability’ and everyone says, ‘Oh, that must mean Trump has high prices.’ No. Our prices are coming down tremendously from the highest prices in the history of our country.” Trump added during his speech Tuesday night that Democrats talking about affordability, “is like Bonnie and Clyde preaching about public safety.” Meanwhile, amid his barbs at Democrats on their “affordability” messaging, Trump posited that he doesn’t have to “sell” his administration’s policies to anyone, because they are “the right policy.” “We don’t have to sell men in women’s sports. We don’t have to sell transgender to everybody. We don’t have to sell open borders where the whole world is allowed to come into our country from prisons and everywhere,” Trump told the crowd. “That’s our message. They gave you high prices. They gave you the highest inflation in history. And we’re giving you we’re bringing those prices down rapidly.”
Trump gives update on wounded National Guard member 2 weeks after DC ambush shooting: ‘He got up from bed’
President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who was critically wounded in a Thanksgiving eve ambush-style shooting in Washington, D.C., has begun showing incredible signs of recovery. Speaking at an event in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, Trump told supporters he has remained in close contact with Wolfe’s family since the shooting that also killed 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom. The president described Wolfe’s parents’ unwavering belief that their son would survive even as physicians warned that the odds were impossibly slim. “The night that he was so badly hit and the doctors gave him almost no chance, I called their hospital room and spoke to her, and she said, sure, he’ll be fine,” Trump said. “Oh no, I’m telling you, he’s going to. I’m praying, the whole country is praying, sir. I’m telling you, don’t worry about it. He’s going to be fine.’ This is the mother talking to me.” FATHER OF FALLEN NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER CALLS HER DEATH A ‘HORRIBLE TRAGEDY’ IN HEARTBREAKING POST “And the father is like, devastated,” he continued. “He’s an incredible guy too, both. And I went and invited them to the Oval Office, and they came in.” Trump said Wolfe’s mother never wavered. “She said, ‘sir, he’s fine.’ It was amazing, actually.” Then Trump shared a significant medical update on Wolfe’s condition since he was rushed into critical care. AFGHAN SUSPECT IN NATIONAL GUARD ATTACK WAS ‘RADICALIZED’ AFTER ARRIVING TO US, NOEM SAYS “And today, Monica — she said, ‘we’re all praying’ and I’m praying. And then she called to say, ‘Sir, he moved his finger today.’ This is like three days later — ‘he moved his finger.’ And today I got a call that he got up from bed. Do you believe that? He got up, he got up,” Trump told the crowd. “Now, he didn’t speak. He’s not ready for that yet. I mean, you got hit in the head, but he got up, and boy, they’re so happy.” Trump praised the medical teams watching over Wolfe. “It’s amazing. And the care that they’ve given him — the hospital and the generals that have been there, the military that’s been there — it’s amazing,” he said. Wolfe, 24, and Beckstrom were ambushed near the Farragut West area of downtown Washington on Nov. 26. Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries, and Wolfe has remained in critical care since the attack. Federal prosecutors charged 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal in connection with the shooting, including first-degree murder. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump says Rep. Crockett’s Senate run ‘a gift to Republicans’: ‘Can’t imagine she wins’
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he believes Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, running for Senate in the Lone Star State is “a gift to Republicans,” saying he “can’t imagine she wins.” Speaking to reporters after departing Air Force One at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport in Pennsylvania, Trump was asked to respond to Crockett’s recent announcement on entering the race for the seat held by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who is running for re-election. “She’s a low IQ person, I can’t imagine she wins,” Trump said. “Maybe she gets the Democrat nomination, but I think it’s a gift to Republicans,” he continued. FIERCE TRUMP CRITIC JASMINE CROCKETT SHAKES UP HIGH-STAKES SENATE RACE The president added: “She’s a terrible representative. I’ve watched her for the last two years, I can’t believe she’s a politician, actually.” Crockett, a progressive firebrand and fierce Trump critic, filed paperwork on Monday to run for Senate in 2026. She has served as a congresswoman for Texas’ 30th congressional district since 2023. The congresswoman, a late addition to the field, told supporters after launching her campaign that she would stand up to Trump, which she said Cornyn had failed to do. “I’m done watching the American dream on life support while Trump tries to pull the plug. The gloves have been off, and now I’m jumping into the ring,” she said. “Many people wonder why I jumped in this race so late, and I just want to be clear that this was never my intention, this was never about me, I never put myself into any of the polls,” Crockett added. “But the more I saw the poll results, I couldn’t ignore the trends, which were clear, both as it relates to the primary as well as the general election, I could have played it safe and continued serving in the United States House of Representatives for as long as my constituents would have me, but I don’t choose to do that, because, Texas, this moment we’re in now is life or death.” Crockett appeared optimistic that she could flip the seat viewed as a Republican stronghold in a GOP-led state. A Democrat has not won a statewide office in Texas in more than 30 years. “Many people asked, ‘Can we win this race in November?’ I’m here to say, ‘Yes, we can!’” Crockett said during her speech. “Texas is a big boy state made up of brawlers with a moral code. Our representation should reflect that, sadly enough, it doesn’t,” she continued. “After evaluating the data, analyzing the trends, researching historic numbers, and combing over the crosstabs, it was clear, the numbers were strongest for my candidacy for United States Senate, that’s why I decided to enter this race.” EX-NFL STAR ABANDONS SENATE BID AS JASMINE CROCKETT NEARS MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT Crockett’s campaign announcement, which included a video with soundbites of Trump attacking her, came shortly after former Rep. Colin Allred — one of the two Democrats already running for the Senate in 2026 — abandoned his bid to replace Cornyn, instead launching a campaign to return to the House rather than continue his second straight bid for the Senate. State Rep. James Talarico remains in the race on the Democratic side, while Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt are challenging Cornyn in the GOP primary.
$900B defense bill advances to House-wide vote as conservative mutiny threat looms
A wide-ranging bill setting the federal government’s defense and national security policy for the fiscal year survived a key hurdle Tuesday night, but questions over whether it will get to President Donald Trump’s desk still remain. The House Rules Committee voted to advance the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) along party lines after hours of debate, setting up the bill for a chamber-wide vote on Wednesday afternoon. The legislation will dictate how roughly $900 billion of the federal budget will be spent on America’s national defense. But with several conservatives already voicing concerns, it’s unclear if it can survive a procedural hurdle that will likely need almost all House Republicans to vote in lock step despite support from the majority of the House GOP. CONGRESS UNVEILS $900B DEFENSE BILL TARGETING CHINA WITH TECH BANS, INVESTMENT CRACKDOWN, US TROOP PAY RAISE The House Rules Committee is the final gatekeeper before most pieces of legislation get a chamber-wide vote. Lawmakers on the panel are responsible for setting terms of debate on a bill, including deciding which amendments, if any, can be voted on. The next step is generally a House-wide procedural vote, called a rule vote, where lawmakers decide whether to green-light debating the bill. Fox News Digital was told earlier this week that House GOP leaders hope to hold the NDAA vote in the early evening Wednesday. But questions about whether the bill could pass a chamber-wide rule vote earlier in the day began popping up soon after the 3,000-page bill was unveiled Sunday night. Rule votes generally fall along party lines even if the underlying measure has bipartisan support. And with a razor-thin majority, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can only afford to lose two GOP votes and still win. GERMANY UNVEILS NEW INCENTIVES TO BOOST MILITARY RECRUITMENT AMID GROWING RUSSIA THREAT At least two House Republicans, Eric Burlison, R-Mo., and Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital Tuesday afternoon they are undecided on the House-wide rule vote. Some conservatives are concerned with the bill’s exclusion of a ban on central bank digital currency (CBDC). Without it, GOP privacy hawks argue that the federal government could use digital currency for widespread surveillance and control of Americans. “Conservatives were promised that an anti-central bank digital currency language, authored by Tom Emmer, the whip, would be in the NDAA. Our initial reading of it, we’ve had it for hours now, is that it is not in there. And then there is no anti-abortion language either. So, as we fund our military, there are red lines that we need to put in here,” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, said on “Mornings with Maria” Monday. Self told Fox News Digital he was also undecided on the rule vote but would vote “no” on the final legislation. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, posted his frustration with the measure’s exclusion on X and told reporters he too was undecided on the rule. Meanwhile, Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., said he was frustrated with the process of crafting the final NDAA. “All of this was negotiated behind closed doors,” he told Fox News Digital. “We’re getting shoved, and we just have to eat it, or, you know, vote against increasing pay to our military service members. It’s a very unfortunate situation to be in, that the speaker keeps putting us in.” And Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he was likely going to vote “no” on the rule vote Wednesday. It was a good sign, however, that the House Rules Committee’s three House Freedom Caucus members — Reps. Morgan Griffith, R-Va.; Chip Roy, R-Texas; and Ralph Norman, R-S.C. — all voted to advance it to a chamber-wide vote. The vast majority of House Republicans are also supportive of the legislation, pointing out it includes multiple measures codifying Trump’s agenda, ramping up the U.S.’s capabilities against China and other adversaries, as well as providing a pay increase for service members. House GOP leaders have the option of putting the bill up under suspension of the rules, meaning it bypasses that procedural hurdle in exchange for raising the passage threshold to two-thirds rather than a simple majority. The NDAA itself is likely to pass along bipartisan lines, but it’s unclear how many Democrats will help. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said he would vote for the NDAA despite concerns “with how a number of issues were handled by the Speaker and the White House during final negotiations,” he said in a statement.
New report reveals federal spending per person has ballooned by nearly 10,000% since 1916
FIRST ON FOX: Although the federal government’s spending on citizens has never been greater, Americans continue to feel the burden of an affordability crisis. Conservative fiscal watchdog group Open The Books, which keeps track of various metrics on government growth and spending, identified in their latest report that, since 1916, per capita government spending, or how much money the government spends on average per person in the United States, is 9,800% bigger. In 1916, the government spent an average of $208.36 per person in today’s dollars, according to Open The Books. Since then, the fiscal watchdog group says the trend line has gone up “almost uninterrupted” and the current per capita spending by the federal government sits at $20,474.19. Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan government agency that provides economic and budgetary analyses, found that in Fiscal Year 2025 the federal government spent a record $7.035 trillion. WHITE HOUSE TURNS UP HEAT ON BIDEN’S ECONOMIC RECORD AS VOTERS SOUR ON ‘AFFORDABILITY’ “While American families and businesses find a way to do more with less, government does less with more,” Open The Books CEO John Hart told Fox News Digital. “Today’s federal government is 98 times bigger per person than it was just over a century ago. The best affordability and stimulus program imaginable is to reduce the waste, fraud and central planning in government. Every dollar saved in Washington is a dream realized somewhere in America.” The government’s per capita spending level equals about $82,000 for a family of four. In their report outlining their findings, the group pointed out that this is virtually just as much as the median household income in 2024, which was $83,730. Open The Books also notes that, according to national averages for how much people spend annually on their mortgages and groceries, the government’s per capita spending eclipses the average spending on these two basic needs. According to Open The Books, the Department of Agriculture recommends spending between $12,000 and $20,000 annually on groceries for a family of four, while the average mortgage payment in 2025 is just under $28,000, according to Rocket Mortgage. AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HAD ACCESS TO MORE LUXURIES, BUT WHY DO WE FEEL SO POOR? During the early part of Donald Trump’s first term, as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began to take shape, Open The Books also worked to keep track of all the savings that the Musk-led group created. Ultimately, DOGE’s cuts were but a drop in the bucket compared to how much the government forks over each year in mandatory spending for programs like Medicare and Social Security, Open The Books found. While DOGE helped scoop up discretionary spending savings totaling approximately $150 billion, and congressional Republicans’ passed a July rescission package saving around $9 billion, spending for Medicare in 2024 totaled around $912 billion, while Social Security got $1.5 trillion. Meanwhile, another recent report from Open The Books illustrated how government spending has increased at a much faster rate than it has grown. For example, staffing levels at the Department of Education have decreased since 2000, but the agency’s spending has grown by 749%, according to Open The Books. “Much of the spending growth is now predestined as Americans are forced to service an extraordinary national debt. But taxpayers should also scrutinize all aspects of federal spending,” Open The Books wrote in their per-capita spending report. “Has quality of life, affordability, or innovation improved along with per capita spending? Aside from interest, what else is the government buying that it wasn’t before, back when we were building ourselves into a global superpower? Open the Books will spend 2026 continuing to expose waste, fraud and abuse wherever it exists and pushing for real-time transparency for taxpayers. Put simply, they deserve more bang for their buck.”