If you ever needed proof that Washington, D.C. runs on autopilot, look no further than the federal government’s favorite pastime: funding expired programs with your tax dollars. We’re not talking about a handful of minor programs here—we’re talking about more than 1,500 federal initiatives still guzzling billions every year, despite the fact that their legal authorizations ran out years, even decades ago.
These so-called “zombie programs” are exactly what they sound like: legally dead but still roaming the halls of bureaucracy, eating up taxpayer cash like its Halloween candy. A recent Real Clear Investigations report blew the lid off this festering mess, revealing that 491 of these programs are specifically identified and account for over $516 billion in spending—about 8% of the entire $6.45 trillion federal budget. And the kicker? Congress is fully aware of it. They just don’t care.
Let’s talk examples. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) was authorized to exist until 1980. That’s 45 years ago. Yet it’s still raking in over $560 million annually with 135 employees. Once created to help low-income Americans with legal issues, the LSC has morphed into a left-wing litigation factory. Its grantees have challenged welfare reform, fought voter ID laws, and launched lawsuits promoting environmental and immigration causes—many with zero connection to helping the poor. Oh, and they’ve been caught lobbying and coordinating with activist groups on your dime.
But wait, there’s more. The Federal Election Commission? Authorization expired in 1981. Still alive. Still burning $95 million a year. FCC? Expired in 2020, but don’t worry—it’s got a cozy $28.4 billion budget. Then there’s the National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and dozens of DOJ grant programs that Congress hasn’t bothered to reauthorize but continues to fund through bloated omnibus bills. No hearings, no oversight, no accountability.
And what’s the excuse? According to Sarah Binder of the Brookings Institution, “If Congress is still appropriating money to the programs, they’re not Zombies. They’re living, breathing agencies.” Oh, good. So as long as Congress ignores the law, it doesn’t matter that the programs expired. Classic D.C. logic.
Enter President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency which is finally doing something about it. DOGE has already axed USAID, the Department of Education, and hundreds of millions in Marxist DEI grants. The DOGE Tracker shows $140 billion in savings so far. That’s real progress—and just 7% toward Trump’s goal of trimming $2 trillion in waste.
If we’re serious about draining the swamp, it’s time to bury these zombie programs once and for all. Enough is enough.
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