They say death and taxes are the two things you can rely on in life. A third that you can bet the house on is Washington, D.C. defrauding the American people of their hard-earned dollars. Well, that’s what taxes are all about, of course. It seems every other day you can find a report about how the federal government is wasting an astronomical amount of taxpayer dollars on nonsense. Just consider what the U.S. House Oversight Committee has recently uncovered.

The federal government’s spending habits have hit a new low, with bureaucrats racking up charges at casinos, bars, and nightclubs using taxpayer-funded charge cards. House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, are fed up and demanding a complete overhaul of federal charge card programs. Their push comes after audits exposed thousands of questionable transactions, proving once again that Washington has no respect for the hard-earned money of American taxpayers.

In a scathing letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, Comer and Ernst called for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a top-to-bottom review of every federal charge card program. The lawmakers aren’t just blowing smoke—this move is a direct response to jaw-dropping findings that show the federal government’s spending is out of control. With the nation drowning in $36 trillion of debt, the last thing taxpayers need is government employees treating their charge cards like a personal slush fund.

Recent audits revealed the Department of Defense (DOD) alone issued nearly two charge cards per employee, with a staggering $40 billion spent last fiscal year. That’s right—while families struggle to make ends meet, Pentagon bureaucrats are living it up, swiping taxpayer dollars at high-risk spots like casino ATMs. The DOD’s inspector general flagged nearly 8,000 transactions at these shady locations over the past year, with no apparent oversight to stop the spree.

“It is indefensible for Department of Defense bureaucrats to waste tax dollars at clubs, casinos, and bars, racking up charges on Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and federal holidays,” said Ernst. The timing of these charges is particularly galling—3,246 transactions at bars and nightclubs coincided with federal holidays, Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, the day of UFC 300, Cinco de Mayo, and New Year’s Eve. Apparently, federal employees think taxpayers should subsidize their party plans.

The problem isn’t limited to the Pentagon. GAO reports have repeatedly shown that federal agencies across the board fail to use basic tools to analyze purchase card data and prevent fraud. This isn’t a one-off mistake—it’s a systemic failure that lets bureaucrats spend with impunity. Comer and Ernst’s letter makes it clear: the government’s inability to track and control charge card use is a betrayal of public trust.

“With Washington $36 trillion in debt, the last thing we need is bureaucrats maxing out their tab and sticking taxpayers with the bill. There should never be more credit cards than federal employees, and I’m working to create accountability government-wide,” Ernst declared. Her frustration is palpable, and for good reason. The government’s reckless spending habits are a slap in the face to every American who balances their own budget.

Last November, I asked the brilliant @judyshel how much blame the Fed bears for America’s debt mountain.

She told me the Federal Reserve has enabled this to happen.

Today the debt?

National Debt: $36.2 trillion
Household Debt: $18 trillion
Credit Card Debt: $1.21 trillion pic.twitter.com/8krDFhbuod

— Gold Telegraph ⚡ (@GoldTelegraph_) May 1, 2025

The lawmakers also called out the illegal practice of “split purchases,” where employees deliberately break up large transactions to skirt the $3,500 micro-purchase limit on federal charge cards. This isn’t just poor judgment—it’s a blatant violation of federal rules. Yet, because of weak monitoring and enforcement, these shady tactics continue unchecked, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for purchases that should never have been approved.

Comer and Ernst are urging the GAO to dig deep, investigating everything from how cards are issued to whether agencies bother closing accounts when employees leave. They want answers on risky transactions at places like marijuana dispensaries, dating services, and gambling platforms. The fact that these charges even exist shows how little regard some federal employees have for the public’s money.

In a particularly infuriating detail, the DOD’s local purchase card program officials admitted they couldn’t provide a single example of analyzing card spending to cut costs. This isn’t new advice—the Office of Management and Budget has been pushing for better oversight for years, but the Pentagon apparently didn’t get the memo. While taxpayers tighten their belts, bureaucrats are too busy swiping cards to care.

“I’m working to create accountability government-wide. It’s time to cut up the plastic and put a stop to the reckless spending,” said Ernst. Her call to action is a rallying cry for anyone tired of seeing their tax dollars treated like play money. If the GAO takes up this review, it could shake up hundreds of federal agencies under the Chief Financial Officers Act, potentially forcing a long-overdue reckoning on charge card abuse.

“American taxpayers shouldn’t be stuck paying for federal bureaucrats’ splurges on government-issued credit cards. Tax dollars are meant to fund essential government services, not dating apps, nightclubs, or bar tabs,” Comer said in a statement. His words cut to the core of the issue: every dollar wasted on frivolous spending is a dollar stolen from the American people.

What do you think about these government, taxpayer-funded “charge cards?” As always, sound off in the comments below with your thoughts.